Armored Core: Demons of Hell
by Vader23A
Summary: Story about the earlier days of Keith Oswell as a NEXT pilot and his rise to fame. How he and Katrina earned their nickname and how their relationship formed. Prequal to Vandread Raven and takes place before and during ACFA.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

On the streets of Salt Lake City, Utah, a 6-year old boy was walking by himself. He had long black hair that reached the back of his neck and it almost covered his face, he had deep blue eyes, lightly tanned skin, his attire consisted of a white shirt, black shorts, socks and aging shoes and a knife was housed in a sheath attached to a belt on his shorts. His shirt was covered with blood and his left arm had a vertical healing cut on it caused by a hunting knife. His eyes were distant and held pain and sadness. Then he heard a girl scream so he heads to the origin of it, he soon arrives at the origin and saw a bunch of teenage thugs picking on a girl around his age.

The girl said, "Stop it! Leave me alone!" What the thugs were doing to this poor girl was disgusting. The black-haired youth decides to take action.

He walked up to them and said, "Knock it off!"

The leader of the gang taunted, "Oh, what do we have here? Mr. Tough Guy. You think you can take us on all by yourself, shrimp?"

He pulls out a knife and the boy warned, "Get out of here." The teen didn't listen and strikes but the black-haired American quickly dodges the knife and twists his right arm before punching the thug.

The thug exclaimed, "You brat!" He tries to attack again but the challenger moved out of the way and knees the thug in the gut hard, causing him to drop the knife and fall to his knees. The last thing he saw was the 6-year old slamming his shoe right into his face.

Another thug said, "He knocked out the boss! Get him!" The black-haired looked at them with no fear on his face and the next thing that can be heard is fists flying and yells. The girl didn't dare to look. The American executes a vicious uppercut to his final opponent and when the girl turns to look she sees her attackers on the ground moaning in pain and had bruises on their bodies while her savior stood in triumph, panting all the while.

He walked over to the girl and asked, "You okay?"

The girl nodded, "Yes. Thank you for saving me."

The boy said, "Don't mention it." He heard the sirens of police cars approaching, "You better go on and get out of here, kid. Go on, your parents are probably worried sick about you." The girl nodded reluctantly and when the police units arrive, they see the girl and the beaten up thugs behind her. The police officer in charge instructed her to approach them. Soon the mother embraced her daughter and scolded her not to run off like that again, hiding behind a wall the boy listened in and when he poked his head out and looks at the pair, he felt his heart ache. He left the area and went to get something to eat, he soon arrives at his favorite little restaurant and he rang the service bell.

A voice said, "Coming!" Soon a young man appeared and recognized the customer, "Ah, Keith welcome. How are doing?"

Keith replied solemnly, "Okay I guess, Kyle."

Kyle nodded with sympathy, "Hm, it's not easy living without parents there for you. Anyway what can I get you?"

Keith answered, "The usual." Kyle heads to the back where he cooks the food. Keith waited and a bit later Kyle came out with a black tray that had a piece of fried chicken, bowl of hot mash potatoes with gravy, corn and a glass of water. Keith thanked him and begins eating, he was cautious around others on the streets because there can be shady people but Kyle could be trusted. Soon all of the food is gone and Keith emptied the glass. He gives the tray to Kyle and paid him before heading off. Kyle watched him leave.

'Poor kid, having lost his parents in that power plant fire and he's forced to live here on the streets.' Kyle thought. Ever since Keith lost both his mother and father to that fire, Keith was forced to live a life of kill and stealing. A street thug! Just doing everything to stay alive but Keith felt empty on the inside since he's an only child that his parents had. As he walked back to the place he resides at Keith looks up and spotted ugly storm clouds approaching, this was going to be a bad one. Keith reached his shelter underneath the stairs of an apartment and just in time before rain begins to fall. Keith hugged his legs and rested his head on his knees. He rubbed his arms to keep himself warm but his wet clothes don't help.

He shivered, "So cold. I would love to live in a warm place instead out here." He begins to cry since nobody was around. Suddenly he hears footsteps approaching his location and then stop, Keith looked up and saw the most beautiful girl he's seen. She had short blue hair, purple eyes and was wearing a shirt that had a badge of some organization that Keith hadn't seen before. The girl held an umbrella in her hand, she had a sympathetic look on her face then she kneels and placed a hand on Keith's cold cheek. The boy blushed from the warmth.

The girl smiled, "Hi, my name is Katrina. What is yours?"

Keith replied, "K-Keith Oswell."

The girl's eyes widened, "Keith Oswell, the son of Ryan and Serena Oswell?" She saw Keith nod and she said, "I heard of what happened to your parents, Keith. I'm sorry."

Keith averts his gaze.

Katrina stayed quiet and then asked, "Come with me to Collared. I'll give you a new reason to live and fight those who threaten to take your life."

'Collared?' Keith thought. Katrina held out her free hand with a gentle smile and Keith momentarily hesitated. Can he trust her? Most of the other street people deceived him and attempted to steal his things but he prevented that. Keith took her hand and follows her to a passenger train and they board it then take a seat. Throughout the journey, Keith remained quiet. Soon they arrive at Collared in Washington, D.C. and they reach the entrance. Katrina flashed her ID card to the scanner and it approved the signature and the entrance gates open up.

Katrina looked at Keith, "Come on, Keith let's go."

Keith nodded timidly, "O-okay." The base was huge in size and width, was rectangular in shape and was gray in color. Whatever this base is used for, it had to house something big to be of this size. When they enter the base, the interior was completely different from the outside. There were shops, restaurants, etc.

Katrina said, "The first thing we need to do is cut this long hair of yours." They enter a cutting salon and the barber welcomed them. Katrina said that Keith needed a haircut and the barber nodded, meaning he would do it. He motioned Keith to sit in the chair. The boy did what he was told and the barber placed an apron of some sort around the majority of his upper body leaving his head and neck uncovered. He started the process by first wetting Keith's hair then combing it to get rid of any knots that may have formed. He then measured the thickness of Keith's hair to see what size of attachment he will need for the hair clipper. Ultimately it settles to a large one so he attaches that to the clipper, plugs it in and turns it on. He uses a comb to lift the hair on top of the boy's head so he could cut it then he switches to the back of Keith's head and neck. The cut off hair pools on the floor around the seat. The barber stops using the clipper and next grabs a pair of scissors. He starts cutting hair along the edges on Keith's head carefully and switched between the scissors and the comb. Katrina watches the whole thing and noticed how calm Keith was being. She wondered if it was due to her presence.

'Wow, he really needed a haircut!' She thought in amazement as she looked at the amount of hair that was on the floor. The barber rinses Keith's hair one more time before using a towel to dry it then removes the apron and Keith stood and dusted himself off.

The barber offered a mirror, "What do you think of your new look, young one?" Keith grabs the mirror and looked at his reflection a bright smile appeared on his face as he observed his new hair style. It was now a medium length that stopped above his ears.

Katrina walked up and said, "It looks nice, Keith. Thank you, sir."

The barber smiled genuinely, "My pleasure, Katrina." Katrina pays the man the cost and the two next head to a clothing shop. Katrina asked what shirt size Keith wears and Keith said that he wore a small currently. Katrina picks out some shirts, pants, shorts, socks and size 11 shoes. She paid the toll and they head to have Keith registered. Katrina calls for an elevator and they wait for it to arrive. Soon enough the down arrow lights up and the doors opened up, Keith and Katrina step in and Katrina pressed the B1 button. The doors close in response and begin to take them to the selected floor.

Keith asked, "Katrina, I thought this was the base. I was expecting to see computers and all that kind of stuff. Where is it?"

Katrina answered, "The base is divided into sections. The first floor is where personnel come to relax and get fresh air when they're on break or off duty. The third floor is the resting quarters and the base itself is on the first basement floor." The elevator stopped moving, "We have arrived at our destination." The doors open and its passengers exit it Keith takes a good at the place. There was personnel everywhere sitting at computer desks with headsets on. Keith couldn't quite make out what they are saying but it looked like they were communicating with someone. Keith stuck close to Katrina. In no time they reach a room. At a registration desk they see a young woman in her early 20s with short blonde hair, green eyes, a slender body, and her uniform consisted of a button-up shirt and a skirt that stopped at around her mid-thighs. On the shirt was the same badge that Katrina had.

The woman looked up and spotted Katrina, "Hi, Katrina. Welcome back."

Katrina smiled, "Hello, Serene. What you are doing?"

Serene answered, "The person who usually deals with pilot registration is on lunch break so I took over until he got done." Then she spots Keith, "Who's this?"

Katrina said, "Serene this is Keith Oswell. Keith, this is Serene Haze. She is the operator to my NEXT."

Serene held her hand out, "Nice to meet you, Keith." In response the boy hid behind Katrina, "What's wrong with him?"

The blue-haired girl cried, "He's just shy. Anyway I want to register Keith as a NEXT pilot."

Serene nodded, "Very well." A big screen appeared and Serene typed in Keith's name and she told him that she needed to take a picture of him. They went over to a room that is used for taking pictures. Keith forces a smile on his face and soon his face is placed on the projection screen. Serene applies the final touches before an ID card comes out of a slot in front of her. She grabbed it and hands it to Keith, who gladly accepted it. Katrina gives Keith a tour of the base.

Keith asked, "Um, Katrina when you were talking to that Serene Haze person, you said that you wanted to register me as a NEXT pilot. What did you mean?"

Katrina answered, "I guess I should tell you the truth. You see, Collared is a management corporation. They take care of accepting missions and Arena matches. We NEXT pilots work for this organization since we're mercenaries. That means our loyalties lie with no one. We accept missions for money to repair, purchase parts and upgrade our NEXTs for tougher missions. Come on, I'll show you my NEXT." They eventually reach their destination.

Keith said, "Wow!"

Katrina chuckled, "Impressive, isn't it? That's the Armored Core I pilot. I named it Red Angel."

Keith cried, "That's one powerful machine. How come the hanger is here in the east corner of the base?"

The blue-haired girl stated, "Because these NEXTs aren't small. Plus this corner was typically abandoned when the owner found this base, he discovered that this place was big enough to house up to 6 NEXTs currently. A plan to increase this hanger's maximum holding capacity is underway all that is needed now is a stamp of approval."

Keith titled his head, "And I get to pilot one of these powerful machines?"

Katrina informed, "Come on let's head to living quarters so you can get cleaned up because you reek." They board the elevator again and soon reached the third floor and step out. They walk down the hallway until they reach Katrina's room which was room 246. When Katrina opens the door, the inside resembled an apartment room.

Keith asked, "I'm assigned to be in this room?"

Katrina explained, "You see, a Lynx has a room that has two beds, they have an option of having the room all to themselves or want to share it. The bathroom is to your left." Keith entered the bathroom and placed his new clothes on the counter, grabbed a fresh towel, got out of his old, stinky clothing, closed the shower curtains, turned on the water making sure it wasn't too hot. He sighed in content feeling the water hit his body. He spends 5 minutes in the shower removing pebbles and other nasty stuff from his hair and body. Katrina waited patiently outside and was relaxing on her bed reading a book.

'I guess I was really in need of a shower.' Keith thought with a chuckle. Then she hears the water stop running. Inside the bathroom, Keith opens the shower curtains and stepped out. He grabs the towel and starts drying himself off then he puts on his new clothing which consisted of dragon patterned underwear, a dark blue shirt and dark blue pants. He opens the bathroom door and walks out with his hair still a little wet. She looked at him and a blush appeared on her cheeks.

'My goodness he looks nice in those.' Katrina thought.

Keith said, "Um, Katrina you can stop staring at me."

Katrina snapped out of her trance, "It's time to start your training, Keith."

Keith nodded, "Right."

Red Angel Schematics

**Color: Red with the back of the legs gray. Eyes are cobalt blue.**

**Head: ZHD-2000/SV**

**Core: CR-HOGIRE**

**Arms: 03-AALIYAH/A**

**Legs: LG-HOGIRE**

**FCS: Inblue**

**Generator: GAN02-NSS-G**

**Main Booster: 03-AALIYAH/M**

**Back Booster: BB11-LATONA**

**Side Booster: AB-LAHIRE**

**Overed Booster: KRB-SOBRERO**

**Right Arm Unit: 03-MOTORCOBRA**

**Left Arm Unit: EB-R500**

**Right Back Unit: HLC09-ACRUX**

**Left Back Unit: WHEELING-01 Multi-chain missile launcher**

**Shoulder unit: SM01-SCYLLA**

A/N: Well, here it is everyone my Armored Core story! This story isn't canon so it won't completely follow the game's storyline. Also I added Red Angel's schematics here. Black Dragon's schematics are the same as it was in Vandread Raven.

Let's see. What else? Oh yeah, since the exact year where ACFA takes place isn't mentioned, so for right now in my story the year is currently 2004.

Katrina's rank number is 2 and Keith's starting rank is 31.

Read and Review.

Stick around for chapter 1.

Vader 23A


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Training

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Keith follows Katrina to the training area where new pilots start out before they can pilot a NEXT. Keith switched to gym shorts and a black tank top and Katrina wore a sports bra and gym shorts as well.

Katrina said in a teacher-like voice, "Being a NEXT pilot isn't just about being on alert and doing missions, they need to be ready for possible hand-to-hand combat. Today I will be teaching you the basics of close-range combat and then we'll go to the advanced forms from there." Katrina got into her battle stance, "Ready? Go!" She ran towards Keith at a speed that catches him off guard and he didn't had enough time to block a punch to the jaw, he rolls around on the training pad then stopped. For a few minutes he didn't move and Katrina begins to fear for the worst.

'Perhaps I put a little too much power behind that punch. I might've fractured his jaw.' Keith stirs and slowly pushes himself back to his feet and rubbed the place where he had been punched.

He said, "Man that was some punch, Katrina! It felt like I got hit by a brick wall."

Katrina replied, "I'm surprised that your jaw isn't cracked. No one normally gets up from that. Let's move on." They spend the entire day training and Katrina was very patient with Keith and even gave some pointers on the openings of his fighting stance. Keith shows that he is a quick learner as he proved it to Katrina quickly passing through the basics and the pair went into the advanced moves such as submission holds and other moves to disarm your opponent or break a limb. They both throw a kick simultaneously and the attacks hit each other then Keith and Katrina separate and bowed to one another.

Keith said, "Wow, I never knew combat training could be this intense!"

Katrina chuckled, "You are a quick learner, Keith. After a few mishaps you managed to hold your own against me. Not that many people last long against me in a fist fight the way you did. Normally a challenger would last about 4 minutes at best against me. With a little more training in close-range combat you can be a formidable threat to your enemies. That's enough for today, Keith we don't need you to tire yourself out too much because we got other training sessions to do."

Keith groaned, "Oh man, more training?"

Katrina scolded, "Stop whining, Keith. Do you really think that just because you learned close-range combat that you are ready to pilot a NEXT? I think not! There are training requirements that need to be met before the simulation test so stop acting like a spoiled brat."

The boy sighed, "Yes, Katrina."

Katrina lightened up, "Come on, Keith cheer up. You have done well already and I know I sounded like a mean person right there but without discipline you won't be a great pilot." Keith nodded in understanding what she meant but Katrina doesn't know what this poor boy has suffered. Keith heads to the showers, along the way he could hear some NEXT pilots talking about him.

One said, "Who is that?"

The second replied, "I think that is Katrina's new student that she took under her wing."

The third scoffed, "Tch, I bet he wouldn't last 5 seconds in an Arena match against even a low ranking Lynx. Just imagine what would happen if he became a NEXT pilot." Each one of those comments was a major blow to Keith's already broken heart and he felt the urge to cry. He just ran to the showers, holding back the tears that wanted to come out upon entering the place he quickly stripped out of his training gear and turns the handle and water comes out of the shower head. Keith's body started to shake even though warm water was hitting him.

'Those damn pilots know nothing about me! They should mine their own business!' He thought angrily. That night Keith ate dinner on the first floor and then stares at the stars in the night sky, he's certain that his parents must be up there watching him.

A voice said, "Got a lot on your mind, kid?" That made Keith almost jump out of his skin he fought to slow down his rapidly beating heart when he turned to face the one who almost gave him a heart attack when he saw the culprit. The perpetrator had short dirty blonde hair, gray eyes, and appeared to be a year older than Keith, placing him around 7.

Keith asked with restraint, "Who are you and what gave you the right to scare me to death?"

The stranger said, "The name's Canis. I became a NEXT pilot 2 days ago. You looked gloomy so I felt that a good scare would lighten the mood."

Keith rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He held out his hand, "Anyway I'm Keith Oswell."

Canis shook it, "Ah, Katrina's student. About time that some new blood appeared, I was growing tired of seeing only adults flying these machines." Keith freed his hand.

He asked, "Anyway, how do you know Katrina?"

Canis smirked, "Because I was taught by her just like she is doing with you right now. My rank number is 22. What about you what is yours?"

Keith answered, "31."

Canis laughed, "Oh man, 31? You must really suck to be in that region."

The black-haired American fired back, "Hey, I just got registered today! Also I don't have a NEXT yet so get off my back!"

The pilot of Savage Beast held up his hands, "Whoa, no need to get snippy, I was just curious. Sheesh, you need to lighten up Keith. Did your parents teach you any manners?"

Keith held his head down, "My parents are dead, Canis."

Canis did a 180, "Sorry. Guess I went a little overboard there. Anyway, a little advice from one pilot to the next, when you do build a NEXT and when you go out on a mission you need to remember that you're putting your life on the line every time." Keith heads back inside and took the elevator down to the resting quarters. He opens the door to his and Katrina assigned room, he sees Katrina sitting on her bed reading a book.

Katrina looked up from her book, "Where were you?"

Keith answered, "Just getting some fresh air after eating dinner. Oh yeah, I met your former student Canis."

Katrina wondered, "Really? Did he say anything?"

Her student replied, "Besides him nearly giving me a heart attack by surprising me, he gave me some advice about being on missions. I doubt that."

Katrina informed, "He speaks the truth, Keith. You are putting your life on the line every time you go out on missions because any one of them could be your last." Keith changed into his pajamas and went under the covers.

He asked, "How old are you, Katrina?"

Katrina blinked in surprise, "I'm 7."

Keith yawned, "I see. So you're a year older than me just like Canis. See you in the morning, Katrina."

Katrina said, "Good-night, Keith." She turns off the lights to their room and closed her eyes to sleep and just before she was fully asleep she hears sobbing coming from Keith and Katrina wonders why he was crying. Eventually Keith fell asleep after crying so much. The next morning he groaned as he slowly opened his eyes, he felt something on his chest so the black-haired American pulled down the covers and saw Katrina there with him. Katrina opens her eyes and noticed that she was sleeping with her student she panics and jumped out of his bed. The two dressed into their training gear and had breakfast before heading out to do more training. Today Katrina said that they were going to work on building up Keith's strength. First they do a 100 mile run around a track field once that was done they begin a cross fit workout that involved push-ups, sit ups and air squats. They stretch before doing the workout and Katrina shows what an air squat was and by the time they finish which only took 15 minutes, Katrina notices that Keith was holding his right arm and wondered what happened. Keith feels a burning sensation and pain in his right bicep.

'Man, this hurts.' Keith thought.

Katrina asked, "Keith, what's wrong?"

Keith answered, "I don't know but my bicep hurts really bad, I think I may have torn it." The blue-haired girl gasped before she leads him to the medical room in the base, the doctor examined the injury and concluded that it was a first-degree tear and wouldn't require surgery. The doctor subscribes Keith anti-inflammatory pills to help deal with the burning sensation but the pain plagues Keith throughout the entire day. The tear is completely healed by the next day and Katrina resumed Keith's physical training and he tore his biceps 7 more times in the first 3 weeks. By the time that session was complete, Keith's physique improved greatly it had some muscle on it. The next training session involves metal exercise. Katrina taught her student how to treat a cut and other stuff then she tested him on some highly infectious diseases like blood poisoning and gangrene.

Katrina asked, "I'm going to quiz you now. Tell me, Keith. What are the causes of gangrene?"

Keith replied, "The main cause is the injury or trauma like a crush injury, a severe burn or frostbite. The other main one is infection of an injury."

His teacher nodded, "Very good. Can you name the symptoms of dry, wet and gas gangrene?"

Her student answered, "Let's see. For dry gangrene the symptoms involve the affected area of the injury becoming dry and numb. Initially, it is red in color, then it turns into a brown discoloration and finally it becomes black and shriveled. Symptoms for wet gangrene include swelling and decaying of the affected injury, intense pain, local oozing occurs, a foul-smelling odor is produced, becomes black, and the person may develop a fever. As for gas gangrene the wound becomes infected, a brown-red or a bloody discharge may ooze out from the affected tissues of the injury, a crackling sensation when the affected area is pressed may be produced from the production of gas caused by Clostridia, it becomes swollen, severe pain, and the affected person develops a fever, faster heart rate, and rapid breathing if toxins invade the blood stream."

Katrina smiled, "That is correct, Keith. You absorb information well." They go on about treating the 3 types of gangrene and how to prevent from getting it and Katrina was impressed that Keith listened intently and she felt a warm feeling in her heart but she quickly shrugs it off. Keith finds that he could trust Katrina since she hasn't stabbed him in the back and has been kind to him. The only other person who has been kind to him was Kyle. They finish up the training for the day and then showered, as the pair head to get something to eat Katrina could see that other NEXT pilots are giving Keith glares and looks of disdain and negative thoughts and this hurt Keith. Katrina on the other hand never scorned Keith whatsoever she saw that he had potential to be a great pilot and she will help him reach that goal and support him. This time they decide to eat at Subway. Keith eats a foot long Italian B.M.T. with a small Coca Cola while had a 6" Savory Turkey Breast. Keith quickly ate the first half of the sandwich before Katrina took her first bite out of her meal. Keith ate the other half and took a sip from his pop.

Keith said, "That was good."

Katrina cried, "Holy cow, Keith did you even breath?"

Keith smiled sheepishly, "I guess I was hungrier than I first thought. Besides I'm still growing, the same with you." Happy with having a full stomach, they leave and watched the sun set, turning the sky a mixture of pink, yellow, orange and red. The following day, Keith next learns how to use guns and other weaponry. He was hesitant at first when it came to holding a gun but Keith passed that test with flying colors and the same with swords. He wondered what other training he needed to complete before having a NEXT. They made their way to the resting quarters inside the base and as they enter their room, Keith contemplated on what his NEXT should look like. He puts it aside for now and donned his PJs and is asleep within minutes that training session wore him out. As he sleeps, Keith's facial expression changes indicating that he was having a nightmare.

_Keith found himself in an open field and in front of him was a two-legged heavy NEXT that had a plasma rifle on the right arm, a Gatling gun on the left, a missile launcher on the left back unit and a radar on the right. It seemed to be waiting for something suddenly Keith felt a chill run down his spine when he looked to his left and he saw a black NEXT materialize out of thin air. Keith couldn't make out its physical appearance completely since it was only a silhouette and had some sort of black mist or smoke around it that left only its glowing red eyes visible. The enemy NEXT fires its plasma rifle at its opponent but the black NEXT dodges it and retaliates with its grenade rifle, the round blew off its foe's right arm and it follows up with a slash from its laser blade and vanquished the enemy. _

_With all opposition eliminated the black NEXT proceeded to destroy an energy generating facility of some sort, it obliterates power directors and eliminated anything else that stood in its way. Eventually, it burned the facility to the ground and then turned its attention toward Keith and the boy watched as the black NEXT made its slow approach. It stopped a few inches away from Keith and he looked up as the giant robot stared back with its glowing red eyes, the two said nothing and then the black Armored Core pointed its grenade rifle at him before it vanished behind a wall of fire. _

Keith wakes up in a cold sweat and his heart was racing and he was close to hyperventilating.

Katrina asked in concern, "Keith, are you okay?" He looked at her as Katrina turns on the light. When Keith didn't answer, Katrina asked again, "Keith, what's wrong?"

Keith answered, "I had a nightmare."

The blue-haired girl wondered, "About what?"

Her student stated, "It was about two NEXTs battling, one was white while the other was black. The black NEXT defeated the white one and then went on to destroy some sort of energy generating facility. Once the machine leveled it, it turned its attention. The Armored Core stared at me then pointed its weapon and after that it vanished behind fire."

Katrina pulled him into a comforting embrace, "It was just a dream, Keith. That's all it was, a dream. Don't let it get to you. Nightmares are normal. The same goes for all of those glares that you are receiving from the other NEXT pilots. They were doing the same thing to me when I first joined Collared I was not a celebrity. I had to work hard to prove my worth and get to my current rank. I'm positive that they will change their perspective over time when you make an impact." She gently caressed his black hair. Keith felt his cheeks light up as he was being held by Katrina but it felt nice. The only other people who would do this were his parents whenever he felt sad or something was bothering him. Katrina felt Keith wrap his arms around her back and rested his head against her chest and she noticed that her shirt was getting wet she looks down and realized that Keith is crying from heartache but she was clueless as to why. Eventually he falls asleep again and Katrina laid him back down on his bed and pulled the covers over him. The next day, Keith readies himself for more training. As the remaining weeks of June roll by, Keith and Katrina became close friends the boy waits for his mentor to show up. A few minutes later she did.

Keith asked, "Well, Katrina would kind of training do we have on our agenda today?"

Katrina smiled, "Actually, my young apprentice you just have one more training session then you're done. This time it is combat simulation training."

The boy titled his head, "Combat simulation training?" His teacher went on to explain that he was going to be in a pod that replicates the cockpit in a NEXT so Katrina leads the way to the simulation room and once inside they are greeted by a young man who appeared to be the person in charge of running simulations.

The man said, "Welcome. This is where future pilots come for their final test. Here is where you'll prove that you are worthy to pilot an Armored Core or not. So Keith, just take the stairs to your left and walk down them, this leads to the simulation pod. When you are near the pod, I'll push a button that opens it up." Keith followed the man's instruction and walked down the steps and neared the pod that was the man's cue to open the pod. Keith steps inside and the pod closed. Keith looked around the interior. The simulation screen powers up and displayes a two-legged medium NEXT armed with a laser blade, assault rifle, a missile launcher and a chain gun.

The man appeared on a screen, "Okay, this is where you learn the controls of a NEXT. Let's start with the basics. First, look left and right 3 times."

Keith nodded, "Okay." He turned the simulated robot left and right 3 times just like he was instructed.

The tester cried, "Good. Now look up and down 3 times." Keith did it and the tester went on, "Well done. Next up, restore your field of vision 3 times."

The young American replied, "Right." Once again he completed the task with no difficulty.

The tester smiled, "Nice job, Keith. Knowing your surroundings will keep you alive when on a mission. Now for the boosters, do a quick boost forward 3 times." Keith did so and they went on to the other basic maneuvers and after that was complete, they went on to learning how to use weaponry. Keith passes that easily.

Keith asked, "What next?"

Katrina said, "Time to put everything you learned to the test. Your final objective is to eliminate targets that have been added. They are composed of MTs and attack helicopters, destroy them and you pass the simulation." Keith got rid of the targets with no problems.

A message appeared on the screen and it read, "Simulation Complete. Congratulations."

The man cried, "Well, Keith you are now a NEXT pilot. Good luck out there on the battlefield." The simulation pods opens and Keith stepped out and stretched. Katrina came down and hugged her student.

Keith stated, "The inside of that pod felt claustrophobic. Thank goodness I don't have a fear for enclosed spaces."

Katrina smiled, "Well, Keith it's time to build your own NEXT and tomorrow will be your chance to shine."

A/N: Okay, chapter 1 done. I decided to do Keith's training here and he will be building his Armored Core in the next chapter.

Well, I introduced Canis in this chapter and he will be seeing action soon.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 2.

Vader 23A


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: First Mission

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

It's been a month since Keith has joined Collared and now the date was July 1, 2004. It was a hot day to boot as well! Keith was also a NEXT pilot since he completed his training a month ago and now it was time to create his Armored Core. He was currently holding a hand held computer used for Armored Core construction, it held all the parts needed to make one and of the pilot's choosing. An engineer explained that NEXTs are divided into 3 model classes. Those 3 classes were light, medium and heavy models, the same with the parts. The leg types were in 4 different looks. There was humanoid, reverse-jointed, four-legged and tank. He last mentioned that the arms come in 2 different types. The standard type can be equipped with weapons like guns and lasers while the second are weapons in and of themselves. Keith goes through the parts list and then found parts that he liked and the model he wanted.

Keith said, "I'll go with a medium model."

The engineer nodded, "Hm, wise choice. There aren't that many medium models here." Keith watched as the chosen parts are rolled in and one of the metal crates hit a wall.

The man in charge scolded, "Careful, these parts aren't cheap to make!" Cranes get into position and the engineers opened the crates, the legs required a large crate to be housed in. For the parts Keith chose the MHD-RE/008 head, EKAHAZER-CORE, ARGYROS/A arms, LO1-TELLUS (2 legged) humanoid legs, INBLUE fire control system or FCS for short, the GAN02-NSS-G generator, EKAHAZER-CORB main booster, BB103-SCHEAT back booster, SB11-Latona side booster, and the KRB-SOBRERO overed booster and a pair of 047ANO04101 (large) stabilizers that will rest on the middle part of the legs. As for weaponry, Keith selected the WADOU grenade rifle for the right arm, 07-Moonlight for the left, OGOTO grenade cannon for the right back unit and WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher for the left back unit and NEMAHA-01 vertical support missiles will be mounted on the shoulders. The engineers start with the legs and work their way up, Keith watched as his NEXT is being assembled and once the machine was complete they add the weapons. The lead engineer asked for Keith to come down into the hanger so he along with Katrina did.

The man asked, "What color do you want the NEXT to have, Keith?"

Keith thought about it, "Hm, let's see." Then he snapped his finger, "I got it! Paint it black while leaving the neck, joints and back of the legs gray and color the eyes red."

The engineer nodded, "Very well. You heard him, men! Start painting!" His subordinates grab paint guns and begin coating the Armored Core with the chosen color and last but certainly not least Keith chose the emblem he wanted. It was a dragon with its head thrown back and roaring into the sky with wings fully extended and had fire behind it. He places it on his machine's left shoulder.

Katrina asked, "So what do you want to call your NEXT, Keith?"

Keith replied, "I'll call it Black Dragon."

The blue-haired girl nodded, "Black Dragon. Interesting choice my friend I have a feeling that this will be the most feared NEXT Collared has ever seen."

'And hopefully I will soon start gaining respect from the others.' Keith added mentally. Keith is given a dark blue g-suit, black gloves, boots and helmet. He heads over to the locker room to change and a few minutes later he walked out holding his helmet.

Katrina said, "That g-suit's about your size."

Keith rolled his eyes, "More like freaking heavy it feels someone had tied weights on me!"

The engineer said, "Your body will get used to it over time and you will receive a bigger and much more comfortable g-suit as you grow. Now head over to the briefing room for your first mission." The black-haired American entered the room and saw that he was the only one in there; he guessed that the other pilots have received their missions and are out on them. The briefing person searched through the list of missions and found one that looked easy enough.

He said, "Okay, here's your mission rookie. The client is GA America and your task is to thwart an uprising taking place at District 452 in Kansas City. This district has been abandoned for 12 years following a spill of harmful toxins that forced the residents of that district to evacuate. The rebels have managed to clean up the spill and transformed the place into their base of operations. Their forces consist of MTs, tanks and attack helicopters at the moment. You are to enter District 452 and take out the rebels before they can cause damage. That is all." Keith gets up from his seat and walked up the ladder to his NEXT, when he got on the core the hatch to the cockpit slides open Keith stepped in and the hatch closes then the locks activate. He looked up and saw something above his head with a touch-screen button so he touched it and the whole cockpit lights up. It became clear that what he pressed was the power button he continued his exploration and the main screen in front of him came online and Black Dragon's red eyes light up, signifying its activation.

A voice said, "Keith, can you hear me?"

Keith blinked, "Who's this?" He had a gut feeling that the voice was feminine.

The voice replied, "It's me Serene Haze. I am your operator from now on."

Keith asked, "What? I thought you were Katrina's operator."

Serene Haze sighed, "She probably forgot to mention this but a NEXT operator can be assigned to more than one pilot." Keith felt Black Dragon being moved into a transport plane and the ramp closes as Serene continued, "Okay, I'll go over some of the basics of missions. As you know every mission has a different pay amount that we call Credits. As you complete missions, some of the reward is used for ammunition and repairs to your NEXT. Also we use a star rating to determine the difficulty of each mission. It goes from 1-10. 1 being the easiest and 10 being the toughest mission, so the higher the rank number is, the more dangerous the mission. In connection to this, the reward amount also goes up. Choose your missions wisely, Keith. We recently added the performance rank to missions as well. It goes from E-S. The better you perform in the mission, the better the rank will be." As the transport plane traveled through the sky on route to its destination, Keith does a quick systems check of his NEXT while he waited.

He said, "Controls are okay, generator output at full power and no abnormalities detected, weapons fully loaded, boosters operating normally and Primal Armor on standby." He then heard a beeping noise in the cockpit.

Serene said, "We are almost at District 452, ETA in 5 minutes." Keith puts on his helmet and plugs the two cables in and the head mounted display and other systems inside the helmet power up. Then the aircraft stops and the ramp opened up. The moon was out and this was perfect to use Black Dragon's color to conceal itself and move in on the target without being detected.

Keith said, "Looks like we're at the objective area, time to roll out." Black Dragon fired up the main boosters and makes its way out of the ramp. It begins to fall to the ground but Keith used the boosters to slow down its rate of descent until its feet firmly touch the ground. The NEXT's Primal Armor engages and Keith looked around.

Serene ordered, "Commence mission. Destroy the rebels and their forces to stop the uprising." Keith readies the WADOU grenade rifle and then made his way toward the base. Suddenly Black Dragon stopped moving and Keith switched to thermal vision and he saw lasers that acted like sensors that trigger the alarm.

'If I trip one of those, then the whole base will be on alert. I'll have to be creative here.' Keith thought. He did a scan of the entire base and soon finds a generator that powered the detection systems and spotlights so Black Dragon fired its grenade rifle at the generator this in turn made the machine explode in a shower of sparks and pieces of metal. Nearly all of the base's systems go offline except for the radio.

The leader demanded, "What just happened? Give me a status report immediately!"

His subordinate answered, "The generator exploded, we've lost power to the base."

A tank operator exclaimed, "Intruder!"

The leader asked, "What's going on out there?"

The tank operator stated, "A unit of unknown origin has infiltrated our base and wiped out the generator! We're being attacked!"

The leader of the base ordered, "Activate the backup generator and send out the troops, I don't want this base leveled!" The backup generator is activated and this restores power to some of the base's systems and spotlights move up the attacking NEXT's body until it lit up its face and glowing red eyes.

One soldier whispered, "My god. Fire, what are you waiting for? Shoot it!" The tanks and helicopters blow the shit out of Black Dragon and a big cloud of smoke formed, the commander then ordered them to cease fire. For several agonizing minutes they wait but then Black Dragon walks out of the billowing smoke unharmed, protected by its Primal Armor. The Armored Core used its main boosters to back away a few feet then switched to the OGOTO grenade cannon.

Keith gained a lock-on, "Fire in the hole!" He pulled the trigger with his thumb and a round of the back weapon came flying out of the barrel and hurtled toward the enemy personnel, the men only had enough time to scream before the projectile hits them and they are sent flying. A huge crater formed when the smoke cleared half of the tanks and attack choppers were destroyed, Black Dragon moved on obliterating everything in its path and with one final shot from the grenade cannon, the base was no more. Smoke slithered out of the cooling barrel then the weapon returned to its standby mode when it's not being used.

Serene said, "Confirmed, enemy uprising has been crushed. Good work, Keith head to the extraction point now."

Keith sighed, "Well, this mission's done and with no damage to my NEXT though I wish the same could've been said with my ammunition of my weaponry except for my laser blade." Then a warning alarm blares in the cockpit as Black Dragon's radar picked something up, "Wait a minute, Serene. I'm picking something up on radar."

Serene said in surprise, "What is it?"

The pilot replied, "Hold on, let me look." His HMD shows the unknown object. It started off as a point of light but as it came closer its shape became more recognizable, "An enemy NEXT? I don't recall there being an Armored Core affiliated with the rebels. It was never mentioned in the briefing!"

Serene growled, "That's just great Keith, I'm calling for the transport plane right now. It'll be an hour before it arrives, you will have to hold out until then."

Keith exclaimed, "An hour, are you kidding me? My WADOU grenade rifle and OGOTO grenade cannon are almost out of ammo and to make matters worse, the approaching enemy NEXT is equipped with flares to deflect any missiles I'd fire so that would leave me with just the 07-Moonlight laser blade!"

Serene sighed, "I understand your concern, Keith but right now you don't have much choice in the matter."

Keith growled, "Whatever, the transport plane better hurry over here because if he doesn't, I am going to make the pilot regret that he ever became one." If Keith wasn't wearing his helmet at the moment, he would be pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. The enemy NEXT deactivated its overed booster and opened fire on Keith. Black Dragon does a quick boost to the right to avoid a round from the enemy's plasma rifle, the beam grazes the Primal Armor and Keith does a quick estimation on how many round his grenade rifle and cannon had, the HUD showed that it the WADOU grenade rifle had 4 rounds left and the OGOTO grenade cannon had 14 rounds remaining so Keith had to make these shots count. The enemy NEXT was too quick for Keith to get a solid hit and then the picture showing the grenade rifle turns red, notifying Keith that it has ran out of ammo. The 6-year old American switches to the OGOTO grenade cannon and Black Dragon launches forward tackling its opponent to the ground, the black Armored Core pointed its weapon at the target and a round was coming out of the barrel but at the last second the enemy NEXT kicks Black Dragon onto its back and the round is sent to the sky. The foe then takes off and Black Dragon followed its prey but Keith was completely oblivious to the fact that the target is leading him to a populated district with houses.

The enemy pilot said, "This guy's a rookie and as such he has no idea about the real horrors of war. Looks like I will have to introduce him to it, this heavily populated district will do." He baits Black Dragon into attacking him and it works, the Armored Core fires another round from its grenade cannon and he moved out of the way. The round obliterates a house killing everyone inside it the other residents are awaken by the explosion and the smell of smoke when they look out their windows they see two NEXTs battling right in them. They instantly panic and take to the streets. Black Dragon fires the remaining round of the cannon but once again its intended target dodges it and the round destroyed more houses along with people caught in the explosion.

Keith asked, "Serene, how much time is remaining until the transport plane arrives? Talk to me!"

Serene answered, "Hang in there, Keith only 6 minutes left before the transport is there!" A violet colored laser blade extends to its full length out of the 07-Moonlight and Black Dragon ran forward intent on finishing this battle quickly. The target narrowly avoids a horizontal strike and the pilot actually began to sweat. Keith was acting more aggressively in his attack, he again narrowly avoids a diagonal attack from the 07-Moonlight, chaining the attack Black Dragon swings the close-range weapon vertically and managed to slice off the enemy NEXT's left arm. The strike also reduced the machine's AP (Armor Points) to 70% due to the blade's high attack power. Inside the cockpit Keith spots a cover on top of the right control stick, curiosity getting the better of him Keith flipped the cover up and he spots a red button and he wondered what it was for but then he spotted his opponent approaching him. He waits for the target to come closer and when it is within pointblank range, Keith presses the button and a cyan colored sphere forms and then exploded, sending the enemy NEXT down to the ground. In just in time too because the transport plane appeared on Black Dragon's radar and the ramp opens up, Keith brings his NEXT up into the craft and he could see the defeated enemy robot glow bright orange as streams of light emerged from core part.

The pilot said, "Do you think that it will end with me, rookie? There will be more pilots out there with NEXTs more powerful than mine all of them will try and take you out. This is your first taste of battle. The cries of innocent people will haunt you for the rest of your life." After that, his NEXT exploded. The ramp closes and Keith unplugged the cables and took off his helmet. The main monitor in the cockpit shows him the result of his mission. He earned 4,000 Credits and he received an S for the rank. He heard a beeping noise this made Keith look to his left and he saw a flashing light and the monitor showed him that he has a new transmission, he presses button to accept the message and the pilot of the transport plane shows up on a new monitor.

He apologized, "Sorry that we were late, sir but there was a delay at the base because the runway was blocked after another transport plane crashed while attempting to land. We had to wait until the debris was cleared away so we could take off. Again, I apologize that we were late. Please forgive us, Keith."

Keith replied, "You're forgiven but next time don't be late."

The pilot nodded, "Understood. Thank you." The aircraft lined up with the runway and its landing gear deploys and so were the flaps. The aircraft lands on the runway and the pilots reduce the engine power and aircraft's speed decreases until it rolled into the hanger and that was the pilots' cue to shut the engines down. The ramp opens again and Black Dragon walked out and over to the holding platform. The hatch slides open and Keith powered his NEXT down before exiting his machine. The mechanics bring a ladder over and Keith walked down it until his feet touch solid ground. The hatch shuts and Keith left to change into his casual he wore before the mission. He entered the lounge and to his surprise he sees Katrina sitting there.

Katrina turned around and said, "Oh hi, Keith back from your first mission?"

Keith nodded and sat down beside her, "Yeah, I just returned from it. What are you watching?"

Katrina answered, "The news. They are reporting on a populated district in Kansas City." He watches the news.

The news reporter said, "At 9:50 p.m. a heavily populated district of Kansas City was the site of a horrific battle between two NEXTs. The casualties are unknown at this time but officials fear that it could top 2,000 or more." The camera then cuts to one of the survivors who stated that he was living his worst nightmare and the black Armored Core was like a demon that the Devil sent out. Katrina turned her head to see Keith staring at the TV with wide eyes in horror realization. How could he have been so blinded to his surroundings? He was so focused on just surviving until the transport plane arrived that he failed to realize that the enemy NEXT pilot baited him to that populated area. His breathing rate increases and his heart began pounding hard in his chest before Keith suddenly faints fortunately Katrina caught him before his head struck the floor. She takes Keith to Collared's medical center where the doctor checks him out. After a few he steps out of the room to see Katrina waiting there.

She asked in concern, "Well, Keith just fainted from shock. He has no injuries but we'd like him to stay here for the night."

Katrina nodded slowly, "Okay. Take good care of him, doctor."

The doctor told her, "I will, Katrina." That night Katrina was having trouble sleeping because she was concerned about her friend. She hasn't seen a reaction like come out of Keith. She may not have been there during his mission but whatever he experienced made Keith freak out like that and faint. She begins to wonder just deeply affected the death of his parents were on Keith.

A/N: Chapter 2 done. Well, Keith just had his first mission. I decided to have Serene explain the amount of Credits each mission has, how much is deducted for ammunition and repair, the mission performance rank, and the mission difficulty meter. You don't expect Keith to know it with just a snap of a finger, right? Someone had to inform him about it since he is a rookie right now. Actually, I added the mission difficulty meter since it wasn't in the games.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 3.

Vader 23A


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Pilots in Distress

Disclaimer: I don't the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The next morning, Keith groans as he wake up and he finds himself in the medical center of the base. He sits up in time to see the doctor coming in.

The man saw Keith sitting up, "Morning Keith."

Keith asked, "Why am I in the medical center, doc?"

The doctor answered, "You fainted from shock yesterday after hearing the aftermath of your first mission."

Keith's eyes widened, "What? About those people in that populated district what are the casualties?"

The man replied, "The investigators don't know yet but the toll could top 2,000 or more."

Keith lowered his head, "I see." The doctor tells him that he has no injuries and as such he is free to go. He still has on the clothes from yesterday and he exits the medical center then all of a sudden he is enveloped in a hug from someone. He looks to see that it was Katrina embracing him.

Katrina said, "Thank god you're alright! You gave me a scare yesterday when you fainted like that, Keith."

The black-haired American blinked in surprise, "You were worried about me?"

His friend nodded, "Of course. I wouldn't be a friend if I didn't care." Keith feels a warm sensation in his heart but he quickly gets rid of it and breaks the embrace. He enters the elevator that took him to the first floor. As it went up, Keith heard that today's temperature is going to be another scorcher, around 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Keith never really liked summer because of the hot temperatures and long days. The ring of the elevator bell brings him out of his thoughts and he steps out into the lobby plus he notices that there are NEXT pilots of different age ranging from 20s to 40s also a few retired ones as well. He sits down underneath a tree to keep himself from overheating in the blistering noon Sun and looks at the distance. He releases a painful sigh and his facial expression changes to one of sadness. Not only is today's date July 2 but it is also his mother, Serena's birthday. His heart sinks when the image of him with his parents appears in his mind he fought back the urge to cry. Of course he didn't tell anyone since he believes that they wouldn't care about some dead parents rotting in the ground if only they knew that Ryan and Serena Oswell were experts in the field of medicine and were working alongside other scientists to develop cures for diseases like STDs, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, and other diseases that weren't completely treatable.

'I wish my parents were here right now so we could celebrate my mother's 36th birthday.' Keith thought with sorrow. He hears footsteps approaching his location he turns his head to see some grown-ups coming up to him so Keith rose to his feet and holds his ground.

One taunted, "If it isn't the newcomer Keith Oswell. Collared must be getting desperate in recruiting fresh pilots."

His friend nodded, "Yeah, I mean look at this kid. He's only 6 years old and he is a Lynx?" Keith didn't let their taunts get to him and he kept a calm expression on his face.

The leader said, "Your parents must have been stupid to produce a shrimp like you." Keith felt something snap inside him and he speared the man to the ground and begins punching his face until the man's friend pulls Keith off of him but the boy turns his attention to his new target and kicks him in the gut then he jumps and scores a direct hit on the man's face with a kick. Keith pins the grown-up and delivers a vicious punch to his face and breaks the man's nose with a crack. Keith resumes his assault on the adult who made fun of his parents he wraps his legs around the man's left leg in a leg lock submission hold and begins pulling hard, clenching his teeth. The man screams in pain. Keith intends on ripping the knee tendons or worse breaking the knee all together. After 5 minutes of agony, Keith lets go and gets to his feet again and dusted himself off then straightens his shirt. The two adults run away.

Keith glared at the two, "Nobody makes fun of my family and gets away it! You two better pray that we don't meet again because if we do, you will receive more than just a broken nose or torn knee tendons I'll personally put you two in your own graves. Do not ever cross the line again!" He heads back inside Collared and Canis showed up.

Canis asked, "Hey, Keith, what happened? I heard screaming."

Keith replied coldly, "It's none of your business, Canis so back off." He walked past him.

Canis wondered, "What's his problem?" Keith takes the elevator to the first basement floor and entered the briefing room to see what missions were available then spots one that had 100,000 Credits and 10 stars, meaning that this mission is extremely hard and only those skilled enough would take it but Katrina enters the room in her own dark blue g-suit and was holding her helmet.

She said, "What are you doing?"

Keith jumped upon hearing her voice, "I didn't hear you walk in, Katrina. You scared me. As for what I'm doing, I am looking at this mission that has a 100,000 Credit reward."

Katrina looked at the mission Keith selected, "But that has a 10 star rating, that's only for skilled pilots."

Her friend rolled his eyes, "So? You said that you're putting your life on the line when you go out on missions, right?"

Katrina replied, "Yeah, but…"

Keith cut her off, "So why don't we take a look at the mission."

He selected the mission and the briefing began, "Okay, here is the mission. The client is Omer Science Technology the objective is to rescue a pair of Collared NEXTs they have come under attack by a group of rouge Lynx while conducting a reconnaissance mission. The NEXTs that emitted the distress call are Reiterpallasch, piloted by the rank 3 Lynx Wynne D. Fanchon and My Bliss piloted by the rank 7 Lynx Roy Saaland. The true number of enemies on this mission is unknown so exercise caution. That is all." The two pilots board their NEXTs and head for the mission area. Soon enough, they see 4 Armored Cores battling it out. The head of My Bliss turns to the right and looked to see additional NEXTs descending from the sky.

Roy said, "Hey, Wynne it looks like they brought reinforcements."

Wynne D. Fanchon replied, "Great."

Then a voice came over the radio, "This Katrina, pilot of Red Angel. Keith and I have come to rescue you from the attackers. You guys emitted a distress signal, correct?"

Roy replied, "That's correct. We were doing a recon mission when all of a sudden those two Armored Cores came out of nowhere and started attacking us. We've been stuck fighting this guys since."

Keith said, "We are here to help, that's part of the mission we have accepted. Well, let's get going."

Katrina did a scan of the enemy, "Hm, looks like our targets are a pair of two-legged heavy models and their AP are really high. This won't be easy."

The first enemy NEXT was a rusty red in color, had an assault rifle in the right hand, a bazooka in the left, a grenade cannon for the left back unit, a missile launcher on the right, and large stabilizers resting on both sides of its head.

The second enemy NEXT was colored jet black and blood red, had missile launchers for arms, a chain gun for its left back unit, and a radar unit on the right. Suddenly two additional hostiles appear and land next to the main enemy.

Roy said, "Great, more enemy NEXTs!"

Wynne D. Fanchon chuckled, "Well, at least we have evened the odds: 4 on 4."

The new arrivals appear to be four-legged NEXTs both colored icy blue, had a blade on the right arm but nothing on the left and dual chain guns on the back. Keith and Katrina target the reinforcements.

Keith switches to the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and opens the NEMAHA-01 shoulder units. Achieving a 10 lock-max a swarm of missiles fly out of the back and shoulder unit and home in on the target the enemy NEXTs destroy the incoming projectiles with their dual chain cannons.

Suddenly one of the back mounted weapons is destroyed from a round of Red Angel's HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon followed by a salvo of missiles from the SM01-SCYLLA shoulder units. The 4 machines fight intensively until the enemy NEXTs made critical mistake and gets obliterated by the combined strength from Black Dragon and Red Angel's Assault Armor. The explosion lit up the sky turning it into a bright blue. With those pests out of the way, Keith and Katrina direct their attention to Roy and Wynne D., who were having trouble dealing with Crusher and Black Widow.

Roy destroys a swarm of missiles from Black Widow with My Bliss's arm mounted Gatling gun before retaliating with its own missiles only to have Black Widow destroy them.

Wynne D. suggested, "Hey, Katrina let's try a combination attack."

Katrina replied, "Roger that." Suddenly Crusher is rammed by Red Angel and Reiterpallasch before the two take to the air and then Red Angel fires its MOTORCOBRA-03 machine gun and Reiterpallasch used the pulse cannon the combination of ballistic and energy ammunition tear through Crusher's armor and inflict damage, the NEXT shakes with each hit before its pilot roared in anger and prepairs to use his machine's Assault Armor but fortunately Katrina spots it in time and Fanchon and her move away.

Reiterpallasch was a light LATONA model developed by Interior Union so the tan colored Armored Core had no trouble dodging the attack.

Part of Crusher's attack briefly lowers Red Angel's Primal Armor gauge but it quickly reached full strength again, the female Lynx couple finish Crusher with the high-output laser cannon and rail gun a huge hole forms in the core part of the enemy NEXT and Crusher fell back then blows up in a massive fireball. The explosion is so massive that it created a shockwave that roared across the desert landscape.

Katrina exclaimed, "Whoa, did you feel that? It felt like a nuclear bomb went off."

Keith and Roy Saaland duke it out with Black Widow. The black and red Armored Core fires another payload of missiles however, Black Dragon and My Bliss avoid and Black Dragon fires the WADOU grenade rifle at its foe. The shell struck close to Black Widow causing an eruption of sand but the target is unharmed. Fed up with this, Keith readies the 07-Moonlight laser blade and turns on the overed booster. Black Dragon swiftly closes in and slices off one of the arms to Black Widow and pulls back. Black Widow rams Keith's Armored Core before pinning it and a missile warning sounds inside Black Dragon's cockpit.

The enemy pilot said, "If I'm going out then I am taking you with me!" However, before the pilot can pull the trigger Black Dragon points the WADOU grenade rifle at Black Widow's head and fires, blowing the head off and rendering the machine totally blind Black Dragon kicks the enemy NEXT off and Keith switches to the OGOTO grenade cannon and finishes Black Widow.

Roy sighed in relief, "Whew, man I thought we were goners! Thanks for helping us." Keith and Katrina escort Roy and Wynne D. Fanchon back to Collared and the two bring their NEXTs in for repairs. Keith received the 100,000 Credits for the mission and Katrina got her cut of it. Keith decided to have his NEXT tuned up. He focuses on the turning speed, generator output, thrust output of the boosters and overed booster, ECM resistance, stability of the legs, FCS locking speed and radar refresh rate. While that is being done, Keith manages to get a look of Savage Beast, the NEXT that Canis pilots.

It was a medium LANCEL model with a HD-LANCEL, SOLUH core, AM LANCEL arms, LG-LANCEL legs, FS-HOGIRE FCS, GN-HOGIRE generator, CB-HOGIRE main booster, LB-HOGIRE back booster, AB-HOGIRE side boosters, KB-PALLAS overed booster, AR-O700 assault rifle in the right hand, LR04-AVIOR laser rifle in the left, BM05-LAMIA AS missile launcher for the right back unit, MP-O60116 PM missile launcher for the left back unit, and a pair of YASMIN rested on Savage Beast's shoulders that released flares to divert missiles away from the NEXT. Savage was colored a desert yellow with hints of orange along with black stripes that ran diagonally across the body and its eye was yellow as well. Keith chalked it up that this Armored Core must be quite powerful and he hopes that he'll get a chance to see it in action.

Later that day, Keith learns that Canis tends to talk big and tends to choose missions wisely but he proves to be an excellent pilot to partner up with during missions that required more than one pilot. He also discovers that Canis is an independent mercenary just like he is so Keith prays he'll get to partner up with him sometime soon. He retires to bed for the night to prepare himself for another day of missions. The next day Keith gets the opportunity to meet Roy Saaland and Wynne D. Fanchon. Both pilots were young but somehow Keith could tell they had wealth of experience behind them.

Roy was a tall man at 6'9 and had a nice muscular build thanks to lifting weights in the base's gym, had short brown hair and green eyes. His attire consisted of a gray T-shirt and navy blue shorts.

Wynne D. Fanchon was an attractive young woman who stood at around 5'11, had a medium tan to her smooth and soft skin, gorgeous shoulder-length black hair with some red streaks, and brown eyes and breasts that were somewhere in the C cup range. Her clothing was made up of a decorative strapped top, and navy blue shorts that showed off her long beautiful legs.

Fanchon held out her hand, "I'm Wynne D. Fanchon, my rank number is 3." Keith shook her hand then released it.

Roy held out his, "And I'm Roy Saaland, I rank number 7."

Keith shook his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you both." Just like he did with Fanchon he released Roy's hand.

Wynne D. stated, "You must be Keith Oswell. I was expecting you to be a little older."

Keith calmly replied, "I just became a pilot a month ago so I'm a newcomer here in Collared. I guess I should tell you my rank number since you told yours, please don't laugh when I do."

Roy nodded, "You have our word."

Keith cried, "My rank is 31." He waited for the laughter to come like Canis did but after a few minutes it didn't come.

The pilot of My Bliss said, "31? So in other words that is your current rank?" Keith nodded and Roy continued, "I hope Wynne D. and I get the chance to face you in the Arena sometime soon. Remember Keith, the Arena is always open 24 hours a day."

Keith nodded again, "I'll keep that in mind." The two young adults told Keith a little about themselves. Fanchon is known as "GA's disaster" by GA and the "Brass Maiden" by Interior forces on the battlefield because of her aggressiveness and hasn't failed a mission, she also mentioned that she takes pride in her work and has a dislike for those who just love killing others for their sick pleasure. There also seems to be some bad blood between her and a rank 11 Lynx named Dario Empio.

Roy throws in his two cents about revealing stuff about him.

Deciding to be fair Keith told the two a little about himelf but keeps certain things out of the conversation since some things are best left unsaid.

Canis heads out on a mission by Interior Union that shady supply trucks have been seen entering and leaving Moscow, Russia and the corporation believes that these trucks could be carrying destructive weapons. So they want Canis to do a scan of each of them for suspicious cargo and if he picked anything up, he is ordered to ask the vehicle to pull over and ask the driver to show him what cargo he's carrying. If the driver doesn't co-operate then Canis is cleared to fire a warning shot if the driver doesn't comply after that then he is ordered to destroy the suspicious supply truck. This mission had a 1 star rating so a wingman wasn't necessary. Soon the rank 22 Lynx arrived at the mission area and began the operation.

A Russian official came on the NEXT's screen, "Ah, you must be the Lynx that Interior Union sent. I'll get right to the point. Recently we have been seeing suspicious cargo trucks passing through here and the citizens demanded that we conduct an investigation so the President gave the mission request to Collared. Since you have already been briefed on what to do I think you should go and start scanning I'll be watching the progress from HQ. Oh yeah, just to give you a little help, we gave the targets a color indicator. They will appear white at first but once the scan is done and if the target doesn't appear to be shady then it will remain white, indicating that it is neutral. However, if it's the other way around then the color will change from white to red."

Canis nodded, "Roger that." Soon a supply truck comes into view and Canis zooms in to not only to start scanning it but also to increase the scanning speed. The scan takes just 30 seconds to complete and the results didn't show anything out of the ordinary.

The Russian official said, "That truck's clean, move on to the next one." Another supply truck appears and Canis repeats the process with it but just like the first truck, this one had no suspicious cargo so Canis allows that vehicle to move along. When he scans the third one, the color of the target changes to red.

Canis said, "Okay, this one is definitely suspicious. This supply truck is carrying something that needs to be looked at."

The official ordered, "Then pull the driver over and demand that you take a look at the cargo."

The pilot of Savage Beast answered, "Roger. Attention driver of truck 254, you are ordered to pull over and have your cargo looked at." There was no answer so Canis tried again, "I will say again, pull over now for investigation. I repeat, pull over! He isn't responding, sir."

The official cried, "Alright, Canis go ahead and fire a warning shot." The 7-year old Lynx follows the order and shoots a round from the 04-AVIOR laser rifle a few feet ahead of the truck.

The driver asked, "What are you doing?"

Canis replied, "You have been ordered to pull over to the side of the road." There isn't a response, "Still not following the request, officer."

The official said in annoyance, "Go ahead and fire another warning shot if he is going to be stubborn." Another round from the 04-AVIOR is shot and this time it convinces the truck driver that Canis isn't screwing around.

He said, "Okay, okay I'll comply. I am pulling over right now."

Canis smirked, "Wise choice." The vehicle pulls over and Savage Beast stopped behind it then the hatch opens up and Canis steps onto a lifting wire. Once on the ground, Canis loads a fresh clip into his .45 caliber M9A1 pistol in case the driver tries anything stupid. The man climbs out of the door. He had to look down because Canis was smaller than him.

He asked, "Okay pilot who are you and what do you want?"

Canis introduced himself, "My name is Canis, rank 22 and pilot of Savage Beast. I work for Collared. The Russian President has sent a mission request stating that suspicious supply trucks have been passing through Moscow recently and it has made the people uneasy and they have demanded that the authorities conduct an investigation so the President sent the mission to Collared. I accepted the request and that's the reason why I am here. Mind if I take a look?"

The driver answered, "Sure." They go to the back and gaze at the cargo, there is barrels containing substances that Canis had a gut feeling that it wasn't friendly. Suddenly he hears a gun being drawn so he quickly whips around, pulled out his M9A1 and shoots the truck driver in the leg before the driver could fire his own gun. Canis keeps his gun leveled.

Canis said, "You're some kind of arms dealer, aren't you? Who hired you?"

The driver replied, "Go to hell!"

The NEXT pilot warned, "I'd advise you to tell me who hired you unless you want the next bullet in your arm."

The man replied, "No!" Canis sighs and like he warned another bullet lodges itself into the man's left arm.

Canis contacted the official, "Officer at HQ, do you read me?"

The official replied, "Yes I do, Lynx."

Canis reported, "I have subdued the driver of the suspicious supply vehicle. I have disabled him though he will need medical attention for the gunshot wounds he received from me. It was either that or having a hole in my skull. He appears to be some kind of arms dealer though unfortunately I haven't been able to find out who hired him. I leave that to your interrogation team once he recovers from his wounds. Go and pass on the good news to your President, I'm sure he will be a very happy man. Have a nice day, officer."

The official cried, "Thank you for your assistance, Canis and Godspeed with you." By the time an ambulance and police car show up Savage Beast left the area of operations.

'That's mission complete and time to collect the payment.' He thought.

A/N: That's chapter 3 done. Don't have much to say here. Looks like Keith is more emotionally hurt than expected and his fighting style will change as he matures. He also selected his first 10 star rated mission. He and Katrina will have more team missions later on. The whole thing about Keith's parents developing cures for the diseases I mentioned will be explained soon.

Since I have no clue how old Wynne D. Fanchon and Roy Saaland are in ACFA, right now they are in their early 20s.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 4.

Vader 23A


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Time Off

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

It's now August 1 and today Keith was given some time off since he's proven to be a hard worker despite his cold attitude toward the majority of the personnel at Collared, his new home. The only people he got along with were Katrina and Serene Haze. Canis was working on developing Keith's trust yet Canis feels that he still has a long way to go but in the end he believes it'll be worth it. The daily routine around the base was certain people harassing him or insulting his family and they end up in a hospital bed. Some personnel were beginning to think that maybe Keith is a heartless human being only if they learned the truth behind his behavior. It's officially been 2 months since Keith became a NEXT pilot but as each week passed it made him feel more and more isolated from society. Today's temperature was to be in the low 80s and a storm was expected in the afternoon, bored out of his mind Keith decides to go for a walk. He strolls on the sidewalk away from traffic and then he comes across a beach where children and adults were playing, swimming or getting a tan. His eyes were set on a mother putting sunscreen on her daughter and the sight made Keith feel a lump in his throat. He pictures himself and his mother in that position. This is what he missed dearly. The warmth and affection that he wanted to have again but all of the personnel of Collared didn't give a damn about him. Another thing he craved for was respect, he knew that others respected Katrina but not him that made Keith jealous and he wouldn't show it. Soon the sight became too much for his broken heart to handle and he moves on.

He heard his stomach growl and he decided to stop by Burger King for something to eat. He uses some the credits he earned from missions to buy a cheeseburger sided with medium size fries and a large Coca Cola, he took the tray and sat at a table by himself and ate quietly. A short time later he finished the meal, emptied his drink and threw it along with the boxes of the cheeseburger and fries into the trash then placed the tray on top of the lid. He walked out and in the distance he could see storm clouds beginning to gather.

Katrina finishes getting dressed which consisted of an Undertaker T-shirt with his symbol on the front, navy blue shorts, white socks and black Adidas shoes with blue stripes. After tying them, she secured the fasteners that ran sideways on the shoes. Today Katrina decides to pay her parents a visit since no missions were available then she heads out.

'I haven't seen my parents for a while so it's time to see them.' Katrina thought with a smile. Then her mind drifted to her friend Keith, sure he's accepted her as a friend and enjoyed her company but yet she could see hesitation in his eyes and wondered what it was. The truth is Keith is afraid of opening up to others again after his parents died he seemed lost without their advice or guidance. Sure he has every reason to being cautious around others but Keith needed to realize that not everyone were cruel or heartless. She also knew that Keith never smiles and if he did it was a fake one to hide his pain and loneliness. If there was one thing Katrina knows is that hiding one's emotions was not good because it'd be only a matter of time before it overloaded their system and they snap at someone. She had a feeling that sooner or later Keith's hidden emotions wouldn't be contained anymore and he might end up hurting someone. She is brought of her thoughts when her eyes are set upon Keith sitting on a bench with his head hung low. She can only imagine what must be going on in his mind.

Katrina called, "Keith!" The black-haired boy looked up to see Katrina standing there.

Keith replied, "Hi, Katrina. Where are you going?"

The girl informed, "To see my mom and dad. Want to come along?"

Keith shrugged, "Sure, I don't have anything else to do." He gets up from the bench and followed Katrina to her house. In no time they reach it and it was a big house painted gray-white on the outside. The pair walked up the front steps and rung the doorbell. Soon a woman around 33 years old answered opened the door.

She had long blue hair that reached the middle of her back, purple eyes, and had a slender body. This woman was gorgeous wearing a shirt that enhanced her athletic physique and her chest and shorts that displayed her long, beautiful legs. Keith now understood where Katrina got her looks from. This woman looked like an older twin of Katrina.

The woman saw Katrina and gasped, "Katrina! Welcome home, dear!"

Katrina squealed, "Mommy!" She embraced her mother as Keith looked on.

Then Katrina's mother spotted her daughter's companion, "You're Keith Oswell, the son of Ryan and Serena Oswell!"

Keith blinked in surprise, "You know my parents?"

Katrina's mom answered, "Everybody in the medical science field had heard of them they're famous." She then called out, "Hey, honey Katrina brought Keith over!" A man showed up.

His was big around 6'6, had short brown hair, green eyes, and a nice muscular physique. He wore black pants, a white T-shirt and had a tattoo on his right arm.

The man said, "Hi, Katrina nice to see you again. Ah, Keith it's nice to see you as well. You've grown a lot since the last time we saw you. The last time I saw you, you were a little baby. Why are you standing there for? Come in." Keith and Katrina walk and sat on a couch in the living room and Katrina's parents sat in another couch opposite of the NEXT pilots.

Katrina said, "Keith, this is my mother Selene and my father Scott." Both parents wave at him with a smile. They talk for a while before Katrina popped in a copy of the movie Godzilla: King of the Monsters into the DVD player. The film was made in Japan during 1954 titled Gojira before it came to the U.S. in 1956. Keith watched the film and found it awesome. He thought Godzilla looked scary in black and white and the music and gritty cinematography created a foreboding mode. The effects were great for a film made back then, he watched as the monster laid waste to Tokyo with its awesome power and was immune to every weapon that the JSDF had in their arsenal. In the end Godzilla was killed by the Oxygen Destroyer, a weapon developed by a scientist named Dr. Serizawa. Sadly the man died alongside the Monster King. When the ending credits roll Keith started applauding.

Keith cried, "That was a great movie, Katrina. I didn't know you were a fan of giant monsters movies."

Katrina smiled, "I find them fascinating along with science fiction movies." They decide to stay for the night to allow Keith to get to know Katrina's better. That night they had paella that Keith loved. The next morning they had bacon and eggs. Keith and Katrina took turns taking a shower and other hygiene stuff before getting dressed. The pair bid farewell to Selene and Scott and head back to Collared and just in time before a bad thunderstorm rolled in and it began pouring hard. Keith sits on a couch in the lounge area while Katrina looked out one of the windows in the hallway and is soon joined by Serene Haze.

Serene said, "Hey, Katrina."

Katrina replied, "What's up? Serene, why doesn't Keith smile? Every time we're together he has this blank, emotionless look on face almost as if someone had sucked his soul out."

Serene answered, "Keith still blames himself over what happened in that populated area in District 452 during his first mission. It's not easy to learn that you were responsible for the death of so many people when you had no clue. I've tried to tell him that he shouldn't blame himself what happened was unexpected. It was his first mission so he had no idea what that enemy Lynx was thinking, this incident was too much for his young mind to handle that's why he fainted."

The blue-haired female Lynx asked, "Well, that's one of my questions answered, the other one is why won't Keith open up to others? Wynne D. Fanchon and Roy Saaland offered to be Keith's friends but he refused. Why? Having friends is a blessing!"

Serene replied, "Keith's situation is different from the rest of us, Katrina. Remember, he lived on the streets for several days before you came into the picture. My own personal reason why Keith had closed his heart is to prevent from losing someone else. He fears that if he opened up to others then that person would be snuffed out and he would be lonely again."

Katrina cried, "I see."

Serene continued, "However, whenever he's with you I believe he finds a form of happiness. I think you may be something special to him, Katrina but it's still too early to know for sure. Give Keith some time to sort things through and focus on being there for him when he needs it." Roy and Wynne D. Fanchon were making their way to the lounge area when they see an argument going on between Keith and a woman who seemed to be one of the survivors from that populated area of District 452.

The woman said, "You took my husband and children away from me! You killed thousands of innocent people when you fought that enemy NEXT you're a heartless human being!"

Keith fired back, "You don't understand, lady I didn't know that the pilot lured me there until I heard it on the news! I don't believe in mindless butchery, I would never slaughter innocent men, women and children! It was unintentional!"

The woman stated, "You're just saying that to hide your guilt! The blood of those innocent people will always be on your hands, I'll never get my husband and children back. You took them away!"

Keith said, "Please, lady just calm down. I can't go back in time and change what happened."

The widow nodded venomously, "You're right, boy you can't go back in time and change things but I can avenge the death of my husband and children by killing you!" She grabs a nearby steel chair and slowly began walking towards Keith who in response to this backed up with his hands held out.

He urged, "Take it easy, pal, don't do anything you might end up regretting." He tripped and landed on his butt. Roy and Fanchon hear the sound of steel hitting bone and Keith screaming in agony when they arrived at the lounge they see Keith holding his left knee writhing in pain and hissing through clenched teeth, the two pilots then look at his assailant holding a steel chair that had a bent in the shape of Keith's knee and the woman raised the object over her head intent on doing more damage to the defenseless young American but then it was pulled out of her grasp by Roy while Wynne D. pins her to the ground and ordered for security to come to the lounge. Soon enough, two guards show up and placed the woman's hands in cuffs and lead her out of the base while Roy walked over to Keith who was breathing heavily from the intense pain.

Roy said, "You okay, Keith?"

Keith grunted, "I think my knee is shattered." Fanchon and Roy help Keith to his feet and the moment he tried to walk on his left leg a stabbing pain hits him.

Roy nodded, "You're right, you knee is shattered. Let's head to the medical center to get it fixed." Keith had to hop with his good leg and after 4 minutes they arrive and tell the doctor what happened.

The doctor sighed, "I'm not surprised by this. I have been receiving calls from victims' families demanding to hand over the murderer of their loved ones so they could hurt him the way he hurt them." He injects anesthesia into Keith's left leg before he grabbed another needle with a vile containing a blue substance.

Keith asked, "What's that?"

The doctor replied, "It's used to repair fractured or shattered bones. This substance was developed by your parents, Keith they gave this to doctors and surgeons to be used in surgery for bone injuries. This is just one of many bone healing medicines that Ryan and Serena developed over the first 2 years as medical scientists, they started their career in that field when they were both 21 years old." The man rubs alcohol over the site he was going to inject the stuff before taking the needle and slowly inserted it thanks to the anesthesia Keith didn't feel it pierce his skin. He watches as the blue substance was injected and circulated throughout his blood stream. Once it reached the shattered knee, the substance began to do its magic. Bone fragments fused with each other and severed tendons regenerated. Keith, Roy and Wynne observed this in amazement as the knee grew back to its original state and Keith tested it out and the knee responds perfectly.

Roy said, "Wow!"

The doctor explained, "You are going to feel weak and numb in that knee for a few weeks so I suggest you wear a knee brace to help you walk until you have feeling in that knee again. I also strongly advise you not to do any missions until then. Understood?"

Keith nodded, "Yes, doctor."

Roy cried, "Come on, kid let's get you a knee brace." Keith gets onto Roy's back and the big man held Keith's legs. They reach the base's shopping district on the first floor and Wynne D. tested the different knee brace sizes on Keith's knee before it settled to a small one. They head over to the caster register and paid the cashier before Wynne D. took out her retractable knife out of its sheath and cuts the tag off. Roy sets Keith onto a bench and Keith pulled up pant leg so the pilot of Reiterpallasch could put the knee brace on. The object fitted comfortably and once it was fastened Keith pulled the pant leg back down to cover it. The boy slowly stood up and holds onto Roy for support as he attempts to walk, the metal produced a slight squeaking noise with each movement. The three pilots make their way to a table near a window in the lobby. A lightning bolt flashed quickly followed by a clash of thunder. Later that night Keith and Katrina went to bed at around 11:30 p.m. and Keith had his knee brace in the dresser. Even on the third floor, Keith can still hear the rain then he felt Katrina lightly shaking him.

Keith rubbed his eye, "What is it, Katrina? It's a quarter to mid-night!"

Katrina asked, "Well, can I sleep with you?"

The black-haired American wondered, "What for? Wait, are you saying that you're afraid of thunder?"

Katrina nodded, "Yes, I do. The loud noise scares me."

Keith sighed, "Alright, come on." Katrina smiled as she crawled into the covers of Keith's bed and snuggled up to her friend. Keith felt Katrina placing her head on his clothed chest and his arm snaked its way around her waist, pulling her close. Lucky for them both that it was dark in their room because Keith didn't see the blush on Katrina's cheeks it was obvious that she enjoyed the way Keith is holding her. The two sleep quietly and peacefully through the night.

A/N: Chapter 4 done. I introduced Katrina parents here and it seems Katrina has found out why Keith is distant from others.

Will she be able to pull Keith out of his current state? Stay tuned to find out.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 5.

Vader 23A and happy Halloween, everyone!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Collared Under Attack

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Keith finally regained feeling in his left knee so he doesn't have to wear the knee brace anymore and he could do missions again. He selected an SOS mission in which he had to protect the Hoover Dam from terrorists that are threatening to blow it up if they didn't receive their ransom of 32 million Credits. They've planted explosives on the generators and if they are destroyed then public places in Nevada, Arizona and California would be left with no power. The objective is to attempt to negotiate with the terrorists while a bomb disposal team defuses the explosives. Keith boards his NEXT into the transport plane the aircraft taxies onto the runway as the pilots powered up the engines and the transport plane starts picking up speed as it moved down the runway, soon the pilots pass V1 then V2 and finally pull up followed by drawing the landing gear in. Keith does a systems check before deciding to sleep throughout the long boring trip there. Hours pass before Keith heard the transmission button beeping he presses it to answer.

The pilot said, "We have arrived, Keith. We're opening the hatch now, good-luck." The hatch opened up and Black Dragon exits and the aircraft left the area. Keith's NEXT landed on top of one of the walls of Black Canyon, the place where the Hoover Dam was built upon. Soon a truck comes into view and stopped at Black Dragon's feet.

The driver said, "This Joshua Bricks of the 7th Bomb Squad. NEXT pilot, do you read me?"

Keith's helmet covered face appeared on the truck's screen, "Loud and clear, sir. Are you guys that were sent to dispose of the explosives that the terrorists planted on the power generators inside the dam?"

Joshua nodded, "That's right. I've requested this mission personally not GA America since I never trusted big corporations like them."

Keith chuckled, "I see. So what's the plan? I've already read the mission briefing but how do you want to do the operation?"

The bomb squad leader explained, "My team has been keeping eyes on the terrorists' activities for the past 4 days and during that time period, they have transformed that place into their base of operations and placed SAMs on the dam and the towers. I was planning on having our truck pass through security cameras disguised as a food transport truck and once we've hidden our vehicle we will proceed to defuse the explosives. Your job is to distract the guys from noticing our presence, we have already tried negotiating them but they won't listen so don't bother trying."

Keith cried, "Understood. Let's get moving." The terrorists wait for confirmation of their ransom then alarms sound throughout the hydroelectric plant as Keith commenced his attack on the SAMs. The remaining ones lock onto Black Dragon and fire but the Armored Core proved to be too fast for the missiles to keep track of it and end up hitting the canyon walls. Suddenly he could hear the leader of the terrorist group talking. He was speaking a foreign language that Keith didn't understand but thankfully his helmet had a translation circuit that converted it into English.

The man ordered, "Shoot that machine down now! I want it shot out of the sky!" A monitor inside Black Dragon showed Keith that 40 Normals were emerging from the spillways one by one. The Normals begin to fight Keith but his black NEXT was too powerful for the hostiles and the burning pieces of wreckage fall into the river below the dam and carried away by its current.

Keith asked, "How's the defusing of explosives coming along, Joshua?"

Joshua replied, "It's coming along nicely, Lynx. The enemy has no idea of our presence keep it up with the distraction we only got 5 more bombs to go!"

The terrorist leader growled, "All 40 of my Normals destroyed by one machine? Send out the secret weapon!" Keith sees something coming out of the water behind the Hoover Dam and he zoomed in to get a better look and when he did he gasped. The unknown unit was a transforming giant that resembled a fighter jet and an MT. The thing was probably 60 feet long, had a wingspan of probably 80 feet and carried a great number of armor-piercing missiles under its wings. The behemoth moves toward Black Dragon and fired one of its missiles at the Armored Core and Keith takes evasive action and the missile landed millimeters from Black Dragon's leg. A column of dust and rock shot up into the sky and Keith lures the enemy away from the dam before selecting the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and opening up the NEMAHA-01 vertical launched support missiles. The giant weapon didn't give Keith time to gain a lock-on and he saw hatches under the wings open up and Gatling cannons come out pointing at Black Dragon. Keith receives a lock-on warning then he fires up the boosters and started moving back as the Gatling cannons open fire tearing holes in the ground. When the firing stopped Black Dragon retaliated with its grenade rifle the round tears a small hole in the superweapon's structure. Joshua and his bomb squad remove the remaining explosive from the last power generator without letting the enemy notice them. Joshua typed in the code to defuse the bomb and the light on the bomb stops blinking.

Joshua contacted Keith, "Keith, we have defused the last explosive, the dam is no longer in danger of being blown up. No need for you to hold back. We are pulling out now."

Keith nodded, "Roger that." The young American selects the OGOTO grenade cannon and fires at the same hole he made earlier, making it bigger. The giant craft changed into its robot form. The afterburners turned into feet, the nose and front half of it moved downward and a robotic head appeared, arms came out of the wings and interlocked with the connection points on both sides of the front half of the craft that connected it to the rest of its body. The Gatling cannons fused together to form a single massive one and was held in the robot's right hand and a missile pod rested on the left. The robot's eye glowed green as it stared at Black Dragon and hovered in the air. For some reason Keith didn't feel intimidated at all. He was calm, collected and focused. Joshua and his bomb squad managed to make it back to the truck and exit. Soon they reach the top of canyon wall and watch Black Dragon and the giant robot battle it out.

Joshua whistled, "Damn, that thing's big I hope the Lynx can handle it." The enemy superweapon fires the missile pod at Black Dragon but the Armored Core quick boosted to the right as the missiles strike millimeters from Black Dragon. Black Dragon unleashes a payload of its own missiles Keith continues to target that small hole when he realized that the superweapon's armor is at its weakest around the chest. Soon enough the hole becomes big enough for Black Dragon to fly in and cause damage to the machine's interior with the 07-Moonlight laser blade. The enemy superweapon moves back and forth as explosions happen the 07-Moonlight strikes a critical circuit to its power generator, sparks and smoke erupt from the huge hole as Black Dragon emerged from it. The hostile behemoth began to glow as an uncontrollable power surge builds up to the point where it reaches critical mass and then with a massive bang the enemy superweapon was torn apart. Inside the Hoover Dam's control room the terrorist leader was livid beyond belief as he watched his beautiful weapon disintegrate to pieces of fiery metal fragments and crash into the raging Colorado River below the dam. He switched to plan B as he pulls out a remote detonator to set off the explosives. He pressed the button once but nothing happened so he tries again but the result was the same. Realization finally dawned on him. With a roar of rage he throws the now useless detonator against the wall shattering it to pieces upon impact.

He seethed, "This isn't over, NEXT pilot! I will get my revenge, you can count on that!" He and his men pull out and the plant operators regain control of Hoover Dam. They thanked the bomb squad for defusing the explosives and took all the credit, too. This offended Keith because he was the one who risked his neck out there and kept the terrorist leader focused on him instead of Joshua and his team. Upon returning to base Keith exits his NEXT and marched out of the hanger, upset over the fact that the plant operators didn't thank him! The following week passed by fast and it was now Saturday. He couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen to Collared soon. Then he saw an engineer come up to him.

The engineer said, "Ah, Keith. You're just in time."

Keith asked, "For what?"

The man replied, "Interior Union has developed a new high laser rifle designated as HLR71-VEGA and we'd like you to test it out for us."

Keith nodded, "Sure I can do that." Keith hops into Black Dragon and directed toward the suspension crane that held the new weapon. Black Dragon grabbed a hold of it and proceeded onto the demonstration field for target practice.

The engineer said, "As you are aware the HLR71-VEGA that your NEXT is holding is a prototype. It packs some serious firepower but it only has 6 shots currently. However, if this test is successful not only will the weapon go into mass production but also we can modify it to carry more rounds." Keith fired the rounds at tanks that had thick armor and MTs, the laser pierced the armor like a knife through butter. Keith was amazed at the firepower and he briefly wonders what would happen if a NEXT was on the receiving end of that. Later that day, Keith attends an Arena match between Wynne D. Fanchon and a newcomer Lynx, the rookie didn't stand much of a chance against the veteran Wynne D. Fanchon and her aggressive fighting style. After the match was over, Katrina heads to her and Keith's assigned room to take a nap. A bad thunderstorm rolls in and began dumping rain relentlessly the personnel are taken by surprise, they heard on the news that it was supposed to be clear and sunny all day but Mother Nature has many ways to fool you. Keith was currently doing maintenance on an M-4 carbine assault rifle then once that was done he switched to a katana he found in a pile of junk. The sword initially was banged up and rusted but thanks to a blacksmith that lived in a house nearby Collared, the weapon was restored to its former glory. The blade reflected the ceiling lights. Suddenly the entire base violently shakes and alarms blare.

The next thing he heard was the in-base announcement saying, "Base just took a missile hit launched by enemy forces. The number of hostiles is unknown." He next sees personnel panicking and NEXT pilots running toward the hanger to get into their machines but the hanger doors were blocked by debris. The base is hit by another missile, this officially knocked out the power grid plunging the place into darkness before the emergency lighting kicks in. Wynne D. Fanchon, Canis and a few other Lynx get inside their respective Armored Cores and Fanchon used her machine's laser blade to make an exit of the hanger they're in. After Reiterpallasch finished cutting, Savage Beast kicked it down allowing him and the others to get outside to fend off the intruders.

Canis asked, "How did they manage to get past our security system without tripping the alarm?"

Wynne D. replied, "They must have used the cover of the storm to sneak past it." Canis activates Savage Beast's enhanced night vision and scanned through the mist and saw a huge army of tanks, MTs, Normals, attack helicopters and fighter jets. The targets were highlighted in the classic color scheme with them marked in red and allies in blue. Savage Beast, Reiterpallasch, My Bliss and the remaining NEXTs form a line of defense.

Canis ordered, "We need to drive them back."

Roy asked, "Where did they get this many units?"

Fanchon cried, "Whoever supplied these guys must have a lot of brains if he or she gave these guys directions on how to avoid our security system."

Canis exclaimed, "Here they come!" A third wave of missiles was launched by the enemy but Canis shoots them down before they could hit Collared then he along with the other pilots retaliate as lightning flashed and thunder clashed. More and more missiles were unleashed but not all of them could be shot down and inflict damage on the base. The pilots failed to realize that enemy transports snuck past their defense and unload their cargo. Inside the base, Keith holds a fragment grenade and awaits the arrival of the enemy troops he didn't have to wait long as the sound of chatter became audible. He pulled the pen and throws the fragment grenade and the weapon bounces off the wall before settling down near the soldiers' feet. The men look down and only had enough time to gasp before the grenade detonated killing the men in a fraction of a second. The remaining ones scatter and open fire, Keith hid behind stacked metal crates and once his foes stopped firing he fires a short burst from the M-4 before hiding behind the crate again to avoid bullets. Collared is Keith's new home and as such he needs to defend it. He could see them fly past him and ricocheting off the walls. His headset crackles to life as Serene Haze attempted to contact him.

She said, "Keith, can you hear me?"

Keith asked, "Serene?"

Serene breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank god. Listen, Keith the invading force are terrorists. They're attempting to take over Collared but I can't place who sent them."

Keith replied, "This has got to be retaliation after I prevented terrorists from blowing up Hoover Dam and destroying that superweapon they were somehow able to build. These are the same guys, Serene." Through his headset he can hear gunfire erupting on the first floor and personnel were screaming as the terrorists slaughter them like animals.

Serene told him, "Keith, I'm sending over a Lynx named May Greenfield. She's should be there shortly." She heard footsteps approaching her location, "I need to leave my current location before the terrorists find me."

Keith said, "Wait! What about Katrina?" Serene ended the transmission before he could get an answer. He popped out of the crate to fire another burst, downing more enemies there seemed to be no end to these guys. He sees a grenade fly past him and detonates a red barrel next to the terrorists, when he turned his head he saw a beautiful young woman around 21 years of age, had shoulder-length fiery red hair, a nice body and pretty violet eyes. Her clothing was composed navy blue pants, black Adidas shoes with white shoe laces, white top with a black undershirt. He guessed that this must be Mary Greenfield Serene sent. She was holding a grenade launcher and on her chest in an X shape were 2 straps holding grenade shells.

May said, "You must be the new pilot Keith Oswell?"

Keith nodded, "That's right. And you must be May Greenfield, nice to meet you." They quickly shake hands before Keith empties the last magazine. Mary hands him an M-37 pump-action shotgun and 5 boxes filled with new explosive shotgun shells that explode on impact. He loads 10 shells into the shotgun and pumps it once. Mary shoots a grenade and as soon as it landed Keith shot it then the base's fire alarm sounded.

May informed, "A fire has broken out in the living quarters after an explosion happened when sparks from downed wire ignited leaking gas fumes. Smoke is spreading the throughout the floor by using the ventilation system."

Keith asked, "Where's Katrina?"

May answered, "She's on that floor resting in her room."

Keith exclaimed, "And no one has attempted to rescue her?" Then he heads to that location.

The pilot of Merrygate asked, "Where are you going?"

Keith answered, "To the living quarters. I'm not going to let her get cooked alive in that fire!" He discards the shotgun since the intense heat would cause the shells to explode he located the emergency stairwell that led to the floor. He knows that no one should ever use an elevator during a fire because that can be a death trap! He soaked his clothing with water to make them harder to catch on fire and then he races down the stairs until he comes across the door leading to the living quarters. The door automatically slides open and Keith is greeted by a blast of heat that momentarily sucked the air out of his body. He sticks his hand in to see how hot it was but then swiftly retracted it and shook his hand. He puts on a pair of heavy duty gloves made with fire proofing material designed to protect a person's hands from intense heat. He enters the hallway and quickly searches for room 246, the room that Keith and Katrina reside in. After what seemed like an eternity Keith finally reached his destination, the door didn't open but he also knew that the explosions must have weakened it considerably. He rams it with his shoulder until the door came down and he saw Katrina lying on the floor unconscious. He ran up to her and took off a glove to see if she still had a pulse and to his relief she did, Keith puts the glove back on and held Katrina in his arms bridal style. His gut was telling him that the fire was getting closer to his location so he needed to get his ass out of there and so he did. Keith made to his way back to the emergency stairwell trying his best not to inhale too much smoke. The door slides open and he exits then it closed again. Keith locked it to prevent the fire from spreading to the upper floors. He meets with an injured May Greenfield who received a gunshot wound to her left shoulder fortunately the bullet didn't go very deep so it should be able to be removed by medical tweezers. May killed the last bunch of hostiles.

May turned to see Keith standing there, "Oh, Keith you're back. Is Katrina okay?"

Keith answered, "She's unconscious from smoke inhalation but Katrina should be alright. Take her to the medical center so the doctor check her out, I'm going to look for Serene and see if she's okay."

May nodded, "Be careful, Keith." Outside out of the base, the number of enemy units hadn't falter and it was starting to get on the base defenders' nerves. All of Savage Beast's weapons were out of ammo but lucky for Canis a resupply vehicle was nearby and he immediately begins to use it. He watched as the ammunition was replenished the process took less than a minute to complete and when it was finished Canis returned to the defense line.

Roy cried, "Jesus Christ! Don't these guys ever let up? We cut them down and cut them down but they just keep coming! The leader has to be in that group somewhere."

Wynne D. Fanchon said, "Easy, Roy."

Savage Beast fires the LR04-AVIOR laser rifle at a fighter jet and the craft falls out of the sky in shambles. The desert yellow, black striped NEXT took to the stormy sky then fired the BM05-LAMIA missile launcher at a squad of Normals another group of fighter jets enter the battle zone and fire missiles at Savage Beast but the machine released flares from the YASMIN shoulder units to direct the incoming projectiles away from Savage Beast then the jets are shot down. Savage Beast lands in the middle of a group of MTs and pointed both the LR04-AVIOR laser rifle and AR-O700 assault rifle in both directions and opens fire. The yellow eye of the Armored Core moves from left to right as the MTs fall to its awesome power.

Keith makes his way toward the first floor where Serene Haze was hiding inside a clothing store and she attempted to move to another place but a terrorist spotted her.

He said, "Over here, men!" His raiding group gather and they look at the vulnerable Serene Haze with a sick and perverted look.

One of his men cried, "She's mighty gorgeous isn't she?"

Another nodded, "Yeah, she is. Let's see how beautiful she is without that uniform on!" He tears off Serene's shirt and bra off, revealing her breasts to him and Serene tries to cover herself but two other terrorists hold her wrists so she was totally helpless. Her tormentor ignored her pleads to stop and rips off her skirt and panties leaving her completely nude. The terrorist licked his lips as he ogled over her beautiful body. Serene Haze closed her eyes in disgust when she saw the man reaching for the zipper of his pants so could have his way with her but before that could happen Serene suddenly feels her captors holding her release their grip. The two were sent to the ground with their necks broken. Serene went to her knees and when she turned her head to look it was Keith standing there with an enraged look in his eyes. He knelt down and gives Serene a trench coat to cover her nude body before standing back up and glaring at the terrorists. His hand held the sheathed katana tightly.

Keith said venomously, "You sick, perverted sons of bitches. How dare you try to rape Serene and now you all deserve to die for this. None of you will live to see the end of this day, each of you dies tonight!"

The leader laughed, "Is that so? You think you can take on all of us? Don't be such a fool, twerp I will beat you in seconds!" The next thing he sees is a flash of light and he looked down to see a diagonal cut on his chest.

Keith asked, "Who's the fool now?"

The terrorist leader said, "He moved so fast that I didn't see the blade being drawn." He spits up blood before he collapsed to the ground in two.

Another terrorist said, "He murdered the boss! Get him!" They draw their knives and swords then charge forward.

Keith instructed, "Serene, close your eyes and whatever you do don't open until I say so, got me?"

Serene answered, "Yes." The moment she did, Keith launches forward and drew the katana and starts dismembering his opponents. One enemy aims for Keith's head but Keith side stepped out of the way and then cuts the fool in half; another tried a horizontal strike but only to be halved vertically for his troubles. 10 additional foes are killed before the surviving members of the raiding group start backing up as they look at their executioner. The sight of Keith with blood on his face and shirt plus with the katana drenched in the red liquid made him look really frightening to them.

A terrorist said, "What were we thinking? I haven't seen a person so merciless in my entire life. Run! He's a demon!" They try to flee but Keith swiftly catches up to them and put an end to their existence. Keith shakes the blood off the katana then places it in the sheath.

Keith said, "You can open your eyes now, Serene." When she did she finds herself sitting on a bench in the clothing store next to her was a new uniform and Keith was leaning against a wall with the katana held in between his crossed arms. She also noticed that he was in different clothing.

'When did he change clothes?' Serene mentally wondered.

Keith said, "There's a dressing room not far from where you are sitting." Serene smiled in gratefulness as she heads over to the dressing room to put on the uniform. Canis, Wynne D. Fanchon and Roy managed to destroy the missile tanks and the other enemy units while any raiding parties that were still in the base were wiped out. Keith helps out aiding with wounded Lynx and staff of Collared. Once that was done Keith sat on a hospital holding an oxygen mask to his mouth as he breathed in fresh oxygen, the doctor then came in with a clipboard in hand.

He said, "Well, you're only suffering from minor smoke inhalation but other than that you have no injuries."

Keith moved the mask away from his mouth, "Training can do wonders for you. How's Katrina?" He coughs and placed the oxygen mask back to his mouth.

The doctor said, "Well, she has carbon monoxide poisoning from inhaling large quantities of toxic smoke but she'll pull through. You should be proud of yourself Keith if you hadn't showed up then Katrina wouldn't be here."

Keith said, "Thanks, doctor. Can I see Katrina?"

The man nodded, "Yes, you can. She's sleeping right now." Soon Keith is cured of his smoke inhalation and he gave the oxygen mask to the doctor before he heads to Katrina's room. He opens the door and quietly closes it. He grabbed a seat and sat down next to Katrina's bedside and watched the blue-haired girl sleep. She was hooked up to a heart monitor.

Keith cried, "I'm glad to see that you're okay, Katrina." He held Katrina's hand before looking out the window to see the storm clouds breaking up and soon it was a clear starry night with the moon shining brightly. He then closed his deep blue eyes to get some sleep little did he know that Katrina had a smile on her face as Keith held her hand.

'He does see me as a friend.' She thought.

A/N: Chapter 5 done. Well, Collared managed to survive a terrorist attack. I know that it never happens in the game so I decided to do one. The thing with Keith doing that slaughtering of those terrorists served as a foreshadowing of what's to come for his and Katrina's enemies. The terrorist attack on Collared also showed that a security system is not foolproof someone can find a way to get past it.

I'm also using real life locations in the story as well.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 6.

Vader 23A


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Happy Birthday, Keith

Disclaimer: I don't the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The Sunday morning Sun reveals the scope of the damage from yesterday's attack. It was worst than first thought! The outside hull of Collared looked like Swiss cheese, holes littered the metal caused by the missiles, the control tower was trashed, the pavement on the runway had huge holes in it, transport planes were nothing but burning debris and a few hangers that house them were still burning as firefighters struggle to extinguish the flames. The inside of Collared was just as bad. Parts of the ceiling collapsed and stores were trashed. Thankfully, engineers were able to fix the base's fire suppression system and this released a cold, extinguishing foam that put out the flames in the living quarters and thanks to Keith's quick thinking of sealing the door that leads to the living quarters the fire remained isolated and as such, it couldn't spread to other floors. The amount of time it will take for repairs to be complete was estimated at 10 weeks or more. Keith, Canis and Katrina were outside looking at the damaged outer wall of their home. Keith frowns at the sight, he is thankful that Canis, Roy, Wynne D. Fanchon and a few pilots who managed to get to their Armored Cores and hold off the attackers outside of the base.

Canis said, "Man, I never imagined that those terrorists were that determined to take over our base in retaliation of Keith preventing the Hoover Dam from being destroyed."

Katrina added, "But they failed." Then she looked at Keith who had his head down so that his black hair hid his face. The sight of it made her feel sad for some reason she couldn't understand. Canis saw it as well.

He cried, "Keith, don't blame yourself for what happened. We had no idea that they were going to attack us."

Keith asked, "How do you think those injured NEXT pilots will react when they found out that I helped get them to the medical center?"

Canis shrugged, "It depends. We'll find out in due time." The trio head back inside while engineers begin doing repairs to the base, the living quarters didn't take too long to fix since the fire was isolated and soot covered the walls. The walls are given a new coat of paint and the rooms were refurbished. Keith heads for Black Dragon when all of a sudden he sees the NEXT pilots standing there. Two Lynx stepped forward.

One of them was a young woman likely in her mid 20s, had gorgeous blonde hair that reached her shoulder blades, brown eyes, an attractive body, and stood at around 5'8.

Her companion was a young man around 20 years old, had short auburn hair, black eyes, athletic build and was around 6'1 in height. The blonde's name was Sherry Yamato, the pilot of Vora Nork. Her rank number is 20. (I changed Ay-Pool's name in this story because I don't like how her name sounded in the game. What kind of name is Ay-Pool?). And the man's name was Otsdarva, pilot of Stasis and was the rank 1 Lynx.

Keith said, "How's that injury on your head, Sherry? Good thing it wasn't severe."

Sherry nodded, "Yeah, thanks to you."

Otsdarva stated coldly, "Why did you save me, kid so I'd owe my life? I'd rather be dead!" Sherry didn't like his attitude.

She asked, "What's your problem? Hey Otsdarva, if it wasn't for Keith here I would not be alive right now. I was trapped under burning rubble after parts of the roof fell on me so as far as I'm concerned I am in his debt." Sherry gave Keith the Medal of Honor, the highest reward for bravery and valor. Keith looked at the medal in his hand then back to the pilots, virtually all of them showed their gratitude by smiling and nodding at the black-haired Lynx. Even Katrina and Serene did it. Then they salute him in respect this made Keith almost cry.

Otsdarva rolled his eyes, "Oh brother, saluting the boy after just one event."

He started to walk away but Sherry catches up to him and swung him around, "Cut the attitude right now! We are the only family Keith has now so I suggest you better grow up or I'll make you. Got it?"

'Did she say family?' Keith thought.

Otsdarva scoffed, "Why should I? He's just a kid who relies on others." Katrina was about to slap the man for that remark but Sherry beat her to it. She gives Otsdarva a good slap across his face and hoped that this would knock some sense into him.

Sherry said, "Sure Keith may be a kid but he shows us respect and I think it's time we should show him respect."

Otsdarva retorted, "Did you not see the news about him destroying that populated district in Kansas City? The total number of casualties from his fight with that unknown NEXT has officially been declared at 2,060. He's nothing more than a murderer." Keith's eyes widen in horror and looked like he was about to have an emotional breakdown. Roy hears the Medal of Honor being dropped with a loud clang and saw Keith run past the pilots and run toward the hanger.

Roy said, "Keith, wait!" He turned around and glared at the rank 1 Lynx, "Otsdarva that was totally uncalled for! That boy saved you but you repay it by spitting in his face and calling him a murderer. I outta beat the living daylights out of you for saying that!" Roy cracked his knuckles and prepared to hurt Otsdarva but Wynne D. Fanchon stopped him. Keith activated Black Dragon upon entering the cockpit then took off to his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah.

_"He's a murderer!"_ Those words still rang in his head.

Keith told himself, "I'm not a murderer! I'm not a murderer! I'm not a murderer!" He reaches the pile of rubble that used to be the house he lived in up to now with his parents Keith landed Black Dragon and powered it down before riding a lifting wire down to the ground. He left the Primal Armor off because he didn't want to cause contamination to the surrounding environment. He walks through the rubble that night was still very fresh in his mind then he stepped on something. He removes it and picked it up and turned it over. It was a picture of Ryan and Serena holding Keith when he was 6 months old. This made a couple of tears fall from Keith's eyes when he looked at it. As much as he wanted to deny it, Keith knew that his mom and dad won't be coming back. He rode the lifting wire back up to Black Dragon and powered it up again. He takes one last look at his former home before leaving.

Katrina, Canis, Wynne D. and Roy were currently searching for Keith. After 5 minutes of frantic searching the trio decide to stop for a break at Kyle's little restaurant. The young man walks out and asked what they want. They all ordered some fruit smoothies and a few minutes later he came out with their drinks.

Katrina asked, "Kyle can I ask you something?"

Kyle answered, "What is it?"

Katrina said, "Have you seen Keith? We haven't found him."

Kyle shook his head, "No, I haven't. Why, is there something wrong?"

Canis replied, "Otsdarva said some things to Keith that weren't necessary."

Kyle asked, "Hm. Do you guys know what today's date is?"

Wynne D. Fanchon answered, "August 15."

The man elaborated, "Yes but whose birthday is on this date?" That night Keith returned to Collared and headed to the lounge to relax for a bit at one of the tables.

A group of voices said, "Surprise!" Keith looked up to see Katrina, Canis, Fanchon and Roy standing there. Roy was holding a cake in his hands. The cake was held in a plastic container Keith was surprised.

Katrina said, "We were worried about you, Keith."

Keith sees Roy placing the cake down in front of him and removed the lid, this made Keith ask, "What's this for?"

Wynne D. Fanchon smiled, "Today's your birthday, right? Katrina decided that we should celebrate it with you since nobody deserves to celebrate their birthday alone. Also Kyle asked us to give you this cake."

Keith's eyebrows shot up, "Really, for me?"

Roy said, "Anyway, happy birthday Keith." Keith lowered his head so that his face was hidden as he started to sob.

Katrina wondered, "Something the matter?"

Keith stated, "I don't know what to say." He lifted his head to show tears running down his face, "I'm crying but I can't help it, I'm just so happy. Thank you, guys for doing this." He cries for a bit before he lightened up and they eat the cake with a glass of cold milk. They eat half of the cake and Roy puts it in the lounge's fridge then the group head for their assigned rooms to sleep. Keith and Katrina changed into their pajamas.

'What Otsdarva said was cruel. Keith isn't a murderer he would never kill innocent people in cold blood.' Katrina thought.

Keith cried, "Hey, Katrina?"

Katrina replied, "Yes, Keith?" She is suddenly enveloped in a hug by her friend, she was taken completely by surprise and a blush appeared on her cheeks before wrapping her arms around his back.

Keith said, "Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me, Katrina. That was very generous of you."

Katrina smiled, "No problem, Keith. Just remember if you think you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me or one of others. Don't be afraid to ask." The young blue-haired female Lynx rubbed his back while using her other hand to caress his black hair. The two just hold one another for a little bit longer before breaking the hug to sleep in their respective beds. Throughout the entire night, Keith slept peacefully. During his slumber Keith was mentally debating if he should open up to others again, the NEXT pilots he rescued showed their gratitude to him and Roy and Wynne D. Fanchon offered to be friends with him. The dark-haired American decided to think about it tomorrow. Perhaps his future wasn't so bleak and he had a chance to be happy again.

A/N: Chapter 6 done. Looks like Keith was shown respect by the NEXT pilots he helped during the attack on Collared and he is now 7 years old.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 7.

Vader 23A


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Team Mission

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Monday comes and Keith woke up feeling refreshed after having the first good-night sleep he's had in a while. He got out of bed, stretched and then made his bed. He turned around to see Katrina still asleep, he thought she looked like an angel in his eyes. He gently brushes a few strands of her blue hair away from her face and stared at it for a moment. He also noticed that Katrina's hair was starting to grow out, its length hasn't changed much yet but he knew that would soon change. Keith wondered how beautiful Katrina would become when she entered her mid-teens the thought of it was making him blush, he chuckled with a smile. He was thinking too far ahead into the future. Before heading to the base's new cafeteria for breakfast, Keith hung the Medal of Honor onto the wall then heads out. Along his way to the cafeteria he hears an engineer saying that repairs were 15% complete but also knew that they still had a long way to go with the repairs. Keith sat down at a table on his plate were bacon, sausage and eggs with a glass of milk. Before he dug in he looked up to see Roy, Wynne D. and Katrina standing there with their breakfast.

Roy asked, "Mind if we sit here with you?"

Keith replied, "Not at all." The trio sits down and they begin to eat about a few minutes into eating Keith hears someone entering the commons, the young American saw that it was Otsdarva and as he passed by the two lock eyes deep blue meeting black. Katrina, Roy and Fanchon get tense as they prepared to break up a potential fight but soon relaxed as they witnessed Keith restrain himself from creating a scene.

Roy exhaled, "Man that was close."

Wynne D. nodded, "Amen."

Keith asked, "Who was that?"

Katrina answered, "That's Otsdarva he pilots Stasis and thinks that because of his status as the rank 1 Lynx, he thinks he's all high and mighty. All he's doing is setting up for his own downfall. He earned the rank number after defeating an unnamed NEXT pilot in 1998. If you ever exchange fire with that guy, you best stay on your toes because one mistake is all he'll need to take you out."

Keith replied, "I'll keep that advice in mind." After eating their fill, the group dumped the leftovers into the trash before heading back to their rooms to brush their teeth and change clothes before they head for the briefing to see any missions that were available. He found one that had an 80,000 Credit reward so he selects that one. It also had a 6 star rating.

The briefing person said, "Alright, here's your mission. The client is GA America and the objective is to destroy a bunch of resource processing plants owned by the Russian corporation Technocrat in Siberia, Russia. The plants consist of refineries, a fueling station, fuel tanks and power generating facilities. Around this time of the year Siberia is known to have violent snow storms so be prepared for limited to poor visibility and make sure that you are equipped with powerful radar before you disembark."

Keith turned and faced his two friends, "Katrina, Canis, you two up for it?"

Katrina nodded, "Count me in."

Canis nodded as well, "I'm itching for some action. Let's change into our g-suits and head out." The trio did just that and then boarded their NEXTs and head for the only transport plane available for service. The runway was fully repaired and was ready for use again. The huge craft took off to its destination. The NEXT pilots keep themselves occupied during the journey there. Canis listens to anime music, Katrina stayed quiet and Keith lets his thoughts run through his mind like a stream. Lately he's been having headaches from the using AMS he received a warning that using the system excessively can have severe effects on the brain like unable to think correctly, remain alert or something like that. Being a NEXT pilot for two months he shrugged it off as words of the retired. The headaches weren't excruciating but they were bugging him to the point where he decided to take pain killers to ease the pain. Another thought that appeared was what Sherry said to Otsdarva.

_"Cut the attitude right now! We are the only family Keith has now so I suggest you grow up or I'll make you. Got it?" _

_"Sure Keith may be a kid but he shows us respect and I think it's time we show him respect."_

'Sherry and the others are my family now? She spoke honestly. Should I give them a chance? Should I open up to others again?' He asked mentally.

Katrina's voice got his attention, "Hey, Keith can we talk?" Her face showed up on a screen, she wasn't wearing her helmet so her angelic face was shown to him.

Keith answered, "Sure. At least it will keep me from passing out from boredom."

Katrina asked, "If you were on a mission and ordered to attack a heavily populated city, would you carry out the order?" She sees Keith's eyes move to the left and his facial expression changes to hesitation and she began to regret the question but it's something she had to know. Keith fought with himself he didn't expect Katrina to ask that but if he wanted to open up to others again he had to be honest.

Keith whispered "No, I wouldn't."

The pilot of Red Angel said, "What did you say? I didn't hear you."

Keith looked at her image, "I would rather abandon the mission than slaughter millions of innocent people in cold blood. I may be a NEXT pilot but I still have a heart and there is no way I'd give that up for the sake of the mission."

Katrina answered, "I see."

Keith said, "Slaughtering innocent people is genocide, plain and simple." The fire in his eyes told Katrina that Keith was being honest. She found her respect for him increase dramatically after hearing his admission.

Katrina asked, "What do you think of Otsdarva?"

The black-haired boy stated, "I think he's arrogant and self-absorbed, Katrina. That will get him killed one day if he isn't careful." They soon reach the mission area and exit the lowered ramp and land.

Serene said, "Well, it is show time guys destroy those Technocrat weapon development plants. A heavy snow storm is expected to roll in soon so I'd advise that you finish this mission as soon as possible."

Canis cried, "Well, there is no guaranteed that we'll finish the mission this quickly, Serene."

Katrina ordered, "Quit your chatter and let's get moving." The trio made their way toward the plants when Keith feels that this was too easy, coming all this way and not a single enemy unit in sight this had to be a trap of some sort. Black Dragon and Red Angel stop advancing while Savage Beast kept moving.

Canis said, "Why are you guys stopping? Come on, let's keep going!"

Keith said, "Canis stop!" His warning came too late as one of Savage Beast's feet tripped a motion sensor and an alarm sounds, alerting the plants to their presence.

Serene informed, "An early warning detection system has been activated base defenses are coming online!"

Katrina scolded, "Canis, you idiot! Now the plants know that we're coming!"

Keith gritted his teeth, "No point in standing here let's attack before they have the chance to deploy attack forces." Something about the way he spoke made Katrina and Canis stop bickering and they stare at Black Dragon. Katrina guessed the voice tone Keith used was that of a commander but nevertheless the two follow his order and they move on suddenly a defense wall rose from the snow covered ground and turrets deploy then take aim. They fire beams of energy at the NEXTs but Black Dragon, Red Angel and Savage Beast dodge and retaliated with their guns. One turret tracks Black Dragon before opening fire against it, shells of hot lead filled the sky but Black Dragon quick boosts left and right to avoid getting damaged then fires its WADOU grenade rifle on the turret, obliterating it before Keith targets the next one. He is about to fire another round from the grenade rifle when he receives a missile warning and he looked to the right, his HMD in his helmet showed a SAM approaching him at high-speed thinking quickly Keith used the 07-Moonlight laser blade to cut the missile and the halved object fell to the ground before exploding. Keith selects the OGOTO grenade cannon and destroyed the attacking turret. He decides that the plants can wait, he, Katrina and Canis conclude that the plants' defenses should go first.

Canis was currently dealing with attack helicopters with the AR-O700 assault rifle a quick burst of rounds from the weapon tears through the choppers and turned them into scrap metal. Canis added the LR04-AVIOR laser rifle into the mix and a rain of solid and energy ammo make mince-meat out of the helicopters attacking him.

Katrina unleashed the 04-MOTORCOBRA machine gun on a group of soldiers shooting RPGs at her. The projectiles don't inflict major damage on Red Angel and the bullets from the 04-MOTORCOBRA sent the soldiers flying back. After 5 minutes the trio completely destroyed the defense forces protecting their targets but luck took a turn for the worst for them, the heavy snow storm that was forecasted hits. Strong winds added to the heavy snow fall turning the storm into a blizzard and reducing visibility to almost zero.

Keith ordered, "Switch to thermal vision, Canis and Katrina." The two follow his order and they activate their respective Armored Core's thermal vision, turning the normal image projection into infrared imagery and any object giving off heat will be highlighted in red and yellow while objects giving off little to no heat would be colored blue and green. The vision helps them navigate their way through the blizzard Keith took a look at the temperature gauge on the HUD and it showed that the outside temperature was -10 degrees Fahrenheit he considers himself lucky that their NEXTs had armor that could survive any environment and temperature. Eventually they reach the Technocrat resource processing plants and commence their attack. Keith focuses on the refineries, Katrina selects the fueling station and Canis heads for the fuel tanks. Black Dragon fires the WADOU grenade rifle at the refineries and one shell strikes a pipeline that led to one of the refineries and this triggered a fire when leaking oil from the pipeline caused a spark to ignite, Keith inflicts more damage onto one of his objectives by using Assault Armor on a group of small fuel processing facilities and they burst into flames thick black smoke bellows out and rises into the sky, the winds from the blizzard feed the flames and made them spread to the pipeline then the next one and so on in a chain reaction. Soon the small flames merge and form a giant blazing inferno and Keith sees that the intense heat from the inferno sparks smaller fire next to it and different colored smoke columns rise into the atmosphere, indicating that other chemicals were burning now. Keith's gut told him that an explosion was imminent and Black Dragon pulls out of there just in time before an explosion happened, the blast is so powerful it shakes the ground and sent a shockwave rippling across the surrounding landscape. Moments later a second mammoth explosion happens and like the first one it shakes the ground and generated a shockwave but this shockwave was 4 times bigger and moved much faster. The blast is so loud that Keith could hear it and it actually hurt his ears so he took off his helmet and waited until his head stopped ringing and rubbed his ears.

'Man, I'm lucky that I didn't lose my hearing!' Keith thought as he puts his helmet back on. When the 7-year old American looked back at the devastation the blast created he gasped, half of the refinery was obliterated in those two explosions! He sent this picture to Katrina and Canis and listened to their reactions.

Katrina cried, "Holy cow that was one massive explosion! Half of that refinery is nothing but charred steel!"

Canis nodded, "I agree it's like a miniature atomic bomb going off. I don't know what kind of chemicals those were but they sure as heck produced one of the biggest explosions I have ever seen."

Keith chuckled, "You're lucky that you two weren't here to hear it, it could've blown out my eardrums and make me deaf for the rest of my life! Wow, my head is still ringing!" Keith repeats the process with the other refineries.

Canis fired both the AR-O700 assault and LR04-AVIOR laser rifle and spins in a circular motion like a tornado and the solid and energy rounds strike the fuel tanks but didn't produce giant explosions like Keith did with the refineries. Ultimately the spinning became too much for Canis to handle and he became dizzy, this made Savage Beast fall onto its back. Canis was so dizzy that he looked like he had comical swirls for eyes and the young lad made dazed noises.

Black Dragon lands near Savage Beast and walked up to it and Keith came up on the screen.

He laughed, "What's the matter, Canis? You trying to be the Tasmanian devil cartoon character or something because by the looks of it you're not doing a very good job, aren't you?"

Canis said in a daze, "Mommy, is that you? Can I have a cookie, please?"

Keith laughed harder, "You must have spun faster than I thought. Come on, fella get it together." Black Dragon grabbed Savage Beast's left arm and pulled the NEXT up and Canis shook his head regaining his senses.

Canis cried, "That was fun."

Keith stated, "You should consider yourself lucky that I landed near you because if I hadn't then you would be buried underneath a ton of snow by now. Let's go we have a mission to complete."

His comrade saluted him, "Yes, sir!"

Katrina selected the HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon and the crackling of energy can be heard as the weapon charged up making the inside of the barrel glow neon blue and when the charging was complete Katrina unleashed its power on the fueling station, the beam of destruction makes short work of the structure. Suddenly a battalion of tanks show up and shoot their main guns at Red Angel until the commander ordered cease fire. Red Angel turns around and glared at its attackers the next thing that the battalion sees is the red Armored Core charging up another round of the HLC09-ACRUX and fired. Red Angel does a slow, full 360 on the tanks as they turn into burnt metal and the soldiers were sent flying from the blast wave, Canis looked on with his jaw hung open.

'I better not be on the receiving of that.' Canis thought with dread.

Katrina said, "Let's wrap this mission up and go home." The trio takes out the remaining plants and then head back to the transport plane, little did they know that an unknown NEXT watched them the entire time and the pilot watched as Black Dragon, Red Angel and Savage Beast board the craft and then left the mission area. The NEXT gazed at the burning wreckage that used to be the Technocrat resource processing plants. A dark smile appeared on the pilot's face.

He cried, "Those 3 pilots look like they can be a good challenge especially the pilot of that black NEXT. Keith Oswell, I shall test your skills and if you prove to be a worthy opponent then I will grant you an honorable death…or not." Then he laughed like a mad man.

The transport plane arrives at the U.S. capital and lands on the runway at Collared and the ramp lowered to allow its cargo to walk out. Keith and his two companions place their NEXTs into the hanger before getting out and went to the locker rooms to get out of their g-suits and grabbed a pair of fresh clothes before hopping into the showers. That night Keith and Katrina ate at a nearby Chinese restaurant, once they had their fill and paid the bill they return to the living quarters and decide to watch an episode of the Three Stooges named Dizzy Detectives. Keith and Katrina were holding their stomachs as they laughed the short was that funny then when the episode ends, the two go under the covers and head off into dream world.

A/N: Okay, chapter 7 done. I can see tension starting to build between Keith and Otsdarva. It also seems that Keith is still debating on whether or not to open up to others again.

I'm a little sick right now so I'm taking it easy until I get better. It's nothing serious.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 8.

Vader 23A


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Keith Oswell vs. Unknown Pilot

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

It's been about a week now since the terrorist attack on Collared and repairs have reached 20% complete. The Sun was just starting to rise, turning the sky a mixture of blue and orange. The base's security system wasn't restored yet so for the time being they would use their NEXTs for patrols. Keith and Katrina were doing their early morning patrol shift and are now about to pass out from exhaustion. Keith stretched and yawned while Katrina mirrored his actions and lightly slapped her cheeks to keep her awake. My Bliss and Reiterpallasch walk up to them.

Roy said, "Keith, Katrina, we'll take over from here. Why don't you two go and get some sleep?"

Katrina answered, "Thank you, guys. Another hour of this patrol and I would've fallen asleep." Keith and Katrina head for their room and change into their pajamas Keith immediately collapsed onto his bed with a thud. Katrina tried to sleep but she found out that she just couldn't, the blue-haired girl looks at Keith sleeping peacefully and Katrina felt a tug in her heart as she continued to gaze at the young American. Without realizing it Katrina gets out of her bed and climbs into Keith's and was able to not have him notice it. She snuggled up to him by placing an arm around him and resting her head on his chest. She remembered doing this during that one night when that thunderstorm happened and it felt normal in Katrina's opinion. This seemed to help her sleep.

Canis was doing a systems check on Savage Beast while listening to Monster by Skillet. Roy and Wynne D. Fanchon kept watch over the base and the look at the horizon, it was clear with no hostiles appearing.

Roy said, "Those terrorists sure did a number on our base."

Wynne D. nodded, "Yeah it's fortunate that we were able to defend it. Hey, Roy I have a question."

Roy raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

Fanchon asked, "What do you think of Keith and Katrina's relationship?"

The young man answered, "I think they're good friends and seem to respect each other."

Fanchon furthered, "Do you think that there could be something going on between them?"

Roy said, "What? Like a love relationship? Why are you asking me I don't know! You have to ask Keith or Katrina for that answer but right now let them sleep. They've been patrolling for 3 hours and they need to catch up on their sleep."

Wynne D. nodded, "You're right." Around 9:00 a.m., Keith opens his eyes and stretches after sleeping he felt a weight on his chest so he looks down and sees Katrina resting her head on it. She must've gotten in right after he dozed off. Somewhere in his mind he thought that it felt nice to have her in here with him. He hears Katrina moan before she rose and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before opening them and gazed at Keith with those beautiful violet orbs. She smiles warmly then hugged him in an affectionate matter Keith was taken by surprise and his mind attempts to process on what's happening but then his heart told him to return the loving embrace. Keith decides to listen to it and hugged Katrina back, while Katrina slept she was secretly testing him to see if he would do anything to her but Keith didn't and she admired his restraint. Keith broke the hug and smiled at his friend then they get out of bed and made them before dressing into their normal clothes. After eating breakfast and brushing their teeth, the two hang out in the lounge area. They spot Sherry reading a newspaper while drinking a cup of coffee, the blonde looked up from the article she's reading and smiled at the kids.

Sherry said, "Hi, Keith and Katrina."

Katrina replied, "Hello, Sherry. What you reading?"

Sherry answered, "Haven't you heard? The environmental damage caused by Kojima technology and the Lynx War have worsened and now the corporations are planning on building a system to help civilians escape from the increasing pollution."

Keith asked, "And what is the name of this system?"

Sherry shook her head, "I'm sorry, Keith but they never revealed the name I guess we'll find out soon." Keith enters the mission room and looked through the mission list to increase his Credits reserve. One mission caught his eye. It was labeled: "Face Unknown NEXT." He selects that one and an emblem of a wolf with its teeth bared and in a ready to strike manner appeared on the screen.

The pilot said, "Pilot of Black Dragon, this is Gray Wolf. I'm sending you this message because I challenge you to a battle between the two of us. I will be waiting for you in an abandoned district in Oklahoma City, if you are a true pilot then follow your instincts as a warrior and accept this challenge. I must warn you though, I'm not like the other NEXT pilots you have faced I don't play around. Once I begin to fight, I don't hold back. What is your answer?" The message ends and Keith's instincts of a warrior tell him not to back down from this mission and he accepts it but he would learn that this reckless decision he's making will cost him dearly. He donned his g-suit, boots, gloves and his helmet then heads for the hanger. He climbs the ladder to the core and opened the hatch before hopping into the cockpit before sealing the hatch. Keith secures his helmet and powered up his Armored Core before heading out to do the mission. He soon arrives at the abandoned district and cautiously entered the place then suddenly a beam of light comes out of nowhere and strikes just millimeters from Black Dragon's feet and made the black Armored Core fall onto its back.

Keith groaned, "Where did that come from?" He straightened his NEXT again and searched for the unknown attacker when the pilot's voice appeared on the radio.

He said, "Ah, I see you have accepted my challenge. I must say that you are braver than I thought, young one." Black Dragon pulls back as the unknown NEXT rapidly descends from the sky and lands creating a dust cloud and fracture the ground it landed on. When the dust cloud cleared Keith got a good look at the opponent.

The NEXT was colored gray, had orange eyes and by the looks of it, Keith believed that it was a reverse legged heavy model utilizing GA America parts. For the weaponry, it had a left arm that was a laser blade, held in the right hand was a Gatling gun, the right back unit held the HLC09-SIRIUS high laser cannon and by the looks of it the thing packs a mean punch, and the left back unit held an ECM rocket launcher. That wolf emblem rested on its left arm. The enemy pilot got a good look of Black Dragon and was impressed by it.

'This Keith kid had chosen his NEXT parts well. This will prove to be a good challenge.' He thought.

Keith said, "I take it that you are Gray Wolf?"

The pilot nodded, "That's right. I am the one who sent that message. Let's get this fight started, shall we?" A blood red laser blade emerges from the left arm and Black Dragon ignited the 07-Moonlight and held the blade up.

'This will be tough.' Keith thought.

Gray Wolf said, "Go!" The two NEXTs ignite their main boosters and accelerate toward one another and their blades clashed. Black Dragon kicks Gray Wolf in the stomach and aimed to cut its head off but the gray Armored Core moves out of the way before ramming Black Dragon to the ground and attempted to attack the core part but Black Dragon punched its foe in the face then kicked it off. The 07-Moonlight is swung in retaliation but missed its mark and the Armored Core got to its feet. Keith tries to think up a plan that will get him out of here alive because his gut is telling him that he can't win this fight, the pilot of Gray Wolf clearly has more experience than him and one slip up can cost Keith his life. Gray Wolf fires a round of the HLC09-SIRIUS high laser cannon but Black Dragon moved out of the way before firing the WADOU grenade rifle only to have Gray Wolf mirror the move. Keith clenched his teeth as he watched it, the two combatants speed toward one another and screamed before their laser blades collide into each other again.

While this was going on, Katrina finishes doing combat simulation training at Collared and was now walking down the hallways of the first floor of the base. She sits down on a bench that was near a window and allowed her mind to wander it kept going back to Keith, he was on her mind more and more recently and she began to think up what his parents must have been like since she had never met them before and all the happy times Keith must have had with them. Canis sees Katrina sitting on the bench near the window and walked up to her.

Katrina saw him and smiled, "Hi, Canis."

Canis nodded, "What's up, Katrina?"

Katrina shrugged, "Just thinking."

The 7-year old boy asked, "Hey, Katrina your birthday is in 2 weeks, right?"

Katrina answered, "August 29. I'll be turning 8, why do you ask?"

Canis said, "Well, I was thinking that you, Keith and I should do something."

Katrina cried, "That's not a bad idea. By the way, where is Keith?"

The pilot of Savage replied, "Last time I saw him, he was making his way towards his NEXT after accepting a mission. Something about facing an unknown NEXT I was able to get a look at it but there was no client and no difficulty rating of the mission so I have no idea if the mission is hard or not."

Katrina replied, "How long has he been gone now?"

Canis answered, "For about 4 minutes. Don't worry, Katrina I'm sure he will be fine. All that training he received from you will help him in surviving the mission."

Katrina frowned, "I don't know, Canis. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Back at the abandoned district of Oklahoma City, Black Dragon narrowly avoided a direct hit from Gray Wolf's high laser cannon the beam grazes Black Dragon's Primal Armor and blows a huge gaping hole in a nearby skyscraper. Keith looks at it, surprised by the amount of firepower the weapon possesses if that thing struck Black Dragon then Keith can kiss a good chunk of his machine's AP good-bye. Gray wolf takes to the sky and Black Dragon followed the target little did Keith realize that he walked into a trap, a sinister smile formed on the enemy pilot's face when he fired another round from the HLC09-SIRIUS and scores a direct hit on Black Dragon's chest, sending the mighty NEXT plowing through 4 skyscrapers before crashing to a halt. Keith didn't have enough time to react when the top of the skyscraper his machine was under collapsed on top of it, burying the Armored Core underneath debris.

Gray Wolf laughed, "Is that all you got? I was expecting more." Suddenly the debris is blown apart by Black Dragon's Assault Armor. The NEXT's glowing red eyes pierce through the dust cloud and then it cleared. Inside the cockpit, Keith was panting as he struggled to keep his frustration in check. He believes that Gray Wolf is trying to throw him off his game and make him act recklessly.

Keith replied, "Just shut up!" The black-haired Lynx selects the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and fired but Gray Wolf dodges the barrage and fired back with ECM rockets, they hit Black Dragon and jam the machine's radar and FCS making Keith grunt in frustration. However, he takes the training he received from Katrina into account and calms himself down. Gray Wolf unloads with the Gatling gun but Black Dragon hides behind a building and waited for the jamming effects of the ECM rockets to wear off and soon enough they do, allowing the radar and FCS to come back online. Once the enemy fire stops, Keith retaliated with a round from the WADOU grenade rifle that blew off the ECM rocket launcher off Gray Wolf's left back weapon slot.

The pilot cursed, "Argh! You little bastard! You are now a major pest and deserve to be crushed like one." He tried to aim but Black Dragon kept moving in a zigzag pattern, "Be still, brat so I can hit you!" Black Dragon takes to the sky and unloaded with the OGOTO grenade cannon but Gray Wolf avoids it and the increasingly annoyed pilot charges up the high laser cannon and fired it. The beam gets through Black Dragon's Primal Armor and destroys the WADOU grenade rifle and WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher plus sending Black Dragon rolling on the street, inside the cockpit Keith feels it shaking violently until finally and mercifully his NEXT comes to a stop. He feels a warm red liquid pour down his face and recognizing its smell Keith knew that it was blood.

Serene informed, "Keith, your NEXT's AP is down 40% by that attack if you receive a few more shots from that high laser cannon you are done for."

Keith replied dryly, "Thanks for the reminder, Serene. That helps a lot." Keith gets his Armored Core back to its feet and readies it for more combat.

Gray Wolf praised, "You're more tenacious than I thought no one has been able to last this long against me."

Keith quickly looks at how much ammo do his weapons have. The OGOTO grenade cannon had 8 rounds left and the NEMAHA-01 vertical support missiles on Black Dragon's shoulders were empty. Keith had to use the remaining ammo of his grenade cannon carefully.

In Collared, Katrina's patience had finally worn out and she gets up from the bench and starts heading for the hanger.

Katrina said, "Okay, that's it."

Canis asked, "Where are you going?"

Katrina answered, "I'm tired of waiting around I'm going to go look for him."

Savage Beast's pilot told her, "But we have no idea where he is!"

The blue-haired girl stopped and looked at him, "All the more reason to search for him." She resumes heading for the hanger while Canis struggled to catch up to her.

Canis said, "Hold up, I wanna help! Man, she's fast!" Katrina jumps into Red Angel's cockpit and activated her Armored Core right away. Canis arrives in time to see Red Angel take off.

With Keith, the tables were turning against him. He has used all of his ranged weapons' ammunition and was down to resorting to the 07-Moonlight laser blade. Unfortunately the effects of shock and blood loss were taking their toll on him. He vision was starting to become blurry and Keith shakes his head to stay focused. This brief stop allowed Gray Wolf to fire the HLC09-SIRIUS high laser cannon at Black Dragon it sends the Armored Core plowing through more buildings and then came to a halt. Keith felt something pop and he screamed in agony. Black Dragon's AP is now in the red zone.

Serene informed, "Combat damage at 90%! Keith, your NEXT can't take anymore!"

Keith yelled, "I know that, Serene so shut up already!" He grabbed the control sticks and directed his NEXT away from its adversary. Keith pilots it to somewhere safe and then the NEXT collapsed onto its back with the back of the head resting against the windows of a 50-story building. Looking up, Keith sees a red button above his head. He reached for it and pushes it, it required painful effort but it was worth it as a distress signal was being sent out to any friendly NEXTs nearby.

Katrina continued to look for her precious friend then Red Angel's radar picks up a distress signal and Katrina tracked it to its origin. Upon locating the source, Katrina immediately heads for that location.

'Please, make it in time.' She prayed mentally. Looking down from the sky, Katrina sees a black silhouette lying against a building and upon zooming in the pilot knew that it was Black Dragon. She gasped when she noticed that it was missing an arm and leg and there was electrical arcing from severed wires of the missing limbs and the core part was badly damaged. Katrina kicks it into high gear and heads over to aid Keith.

Keith was praying that some NEXT pilot would answer his distress signal and come to his rescue. He suddenly heard the building in front of him explode into pieces and there stood Gray Wolf. His eyes widen in horror as the enemy towered over him with the HLC09-SIRIUS pointed at him. For the first time in his life Keith felt afraid, afraid that he was going to die. To further worsen his horror, he was too injured to do anything. His heart began beating faster as he sees the glow inside the barrel coming closer to exiting it.

Gray Wolf grinned maliciously, "You fought well, Keith but now it's time to say good-night." His thumb pulled the trigger.

Keith screamed, "Somebody, please help!" As if answering his plea Red Angel rams Gray Wolf the moment the cannon is fired and the beam missed its intended target and flew off into the distance, destroying everything in its path as it went. Keith's eyes were starting to look blank but then gained life back in them when he heard Katrina's voice.

She said, "Keith, can you hear me? It's me, Katrina." Her face appeared on the screen.

Keith said weakly, "K…Katrina? Thank god."

Tears formed in Katrina's eyes, "Keith, you're okay!" Red Angel is hit by Gray Wolf as the pilot turned his attention to her. When Katrina restored her machine's vertical base, she glared at her attacker.

Gray Wolf said, "You shouldn't have interfered, girl."

Katrina seethed, "You did this to Keith, didn't you? I won't forgive you for that! I'll kill you!" Katrina selects the HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon and fired it, Gray Wolf's Primal Armor was down and the beam began pushing it back blowing off chunks of armor while doing so. Then she switched to the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and SM01-SCYLLA homing support missiles then unleashes them on Gray Wolf. Without the Primal Armor the missiles did more damage, quickly reducing Gray Wolf's AP down to 989. Refusing to lose the enemy pilot fired the HLC09-SIRIUS at Red Angel but the red Armored Core tilted its head allowing the beam to pass by without causing physical harm. Enraged, the pilot vanished from sight and Katrina searched for it, she wasn't wearing her g-suit nor had her helmet on so she had to rely on the HUD. An alarm tells her to turn around and when she did time seemed to slow down as Gray Wolf was in the air pointing its Gatling gun at her.

Keith saw that his friend was in trouble and he feels an adrenaline rush and mustering what strength he has left, Keith grabbed a hold of the control sticks and directed Black Dragon forward. The pilot of Gray Wolf looks to his left and he saw Black Dragon rapidly closing in with the 07-Moonlight laser blade ignited and watched as Black Dragon used it to cut Gray Wolf's head off before crashing back to the ground. Gray Wolf wandered around totally blind, Red Angel took the opportunity to punch Gray Wolf to the ground. The last thing Gray Wolf's pilot hears is the HLC09-ACRUX powering up then being fired. He feels it connect to his machine and starts tearing it apart.

'Keith must have sent out a distress signal to call for help and the pilot of this red NEXT answered it. The way Red Angel's pilot is reacting, she most likely cares about Keith. If only my NEXT's head wasn't severed then I wouldn't be in this situation. Now I'm paying the price for my mistake. Damn you, brats!' He thought. After that, Gray Wolf explodes in a big fireball. With the threat eliminated, Katrina checks on Keith.

Katrina said, "Keith, can hear me?"

Keith replied, "Katrina." Keith was finding it difficult to breathe and Katrina took this as a bad sign, she puts Black Dragon's remaining arm around Red Angel's shoulders and the two head back to Collared. Upon arriving back Red Angel sets Black Dragon down and have it sitting against the hanger wall and the hatch to Red Angel's cockpit slides open where Katrina immediately gets out. She rushes over to Black Dragon, climbing up the NEXT to reach the cockpit she couldn't get it to open from the outside.

She ordered, "Serene, can you overwrite the hatch locks to Black Dragon's cockpit?"

Serene replied, "Yes, I can standby." She succeeds in unlocking the hatch and it opens up. After unbuckling Keith from his seat, she picked him up and carried him out of the cockpit and onto the hanger floor. She screamed from the sight. Blood stained the dark blue fabric of his g-suit and she removed his helmet to see blood still pouring out the cut on his head. Canis heard Katrina's scream and ran to the hanger. Upon entering he sees Katrina holding Keith close to her chest.

Canis asked, "What's going on?"

Katrina looked at him, "Call 911 now!" Hearing the panic in her voice, Canis ran to the phone in the hanger and picked up the phone, he dials the number and gave the ambulance the address to the base.

A/N: That's chapter 8 done. Keith's injuries will be revealed in the next chapter. Well, it turns out that I had diarrhea instead of being sick but it was a 24 hour thing because by the third day, I was feeling normal again. I'll tell you those 24 hours were not pleasant one bit.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 9.

Vader 23A


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Near Death's Door

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Katrina laid Keith's head on her lap as the blood from Keith's cut on his head continues to pour out, staining Katrina's shorts but the blue-haired girl doesn't allow that to faze her. The thing that mattered to her is getting Keith to the hospital ASAP and save his life. Soon they both hear the distinct sound of sirens approaching from the distance. The ambulance backs up and the personnel come out of the back then immediately hop into action, the main medical officer checks for a pulse and Keith still had one, weak but stable. However, the officer's years of experience tell him that this boy needed medical attention right now. He motioned for a stretcher and two other medical personnel bring it out from the back. They get it ready and the leader ordered Katrina and Canis to put their hands under Keith.

He said, "Ready, 1, 2, 3!" They lift the injured boy up and place him on the stretcher, after strapping him in they rolled the stretcher into the ambulance and Katrina wanted to ride in the back so she can be next to Keith for the trip to the nearest hospital. The personnel allow her in then shut the back doors and start their journey. They travel across miles of highway before finally reaching their destination and instantly begin to rush him toward the ER. Keith by this time had an IV in him and an oxygen mask over his mouth. His eyes were halfway open and look like they're glazed over, his vision was fluctuating. Katrina went with him until she was ordered that she couldn't any further and has to wait until surgery was over. Katrina sits down, a lump beginning to form in her throat. Soon her parents arrive and Katrina ran into their embrace then she starts to cry over the possibility of losing Keith. Scott rubs his daughter's back soothingly in an attempt to keep her spirit up.

Katrina cried, "Mommy, Daddy, I'm scared!"

Selene said, "Shh, it is okay sweetheart. Keith will come through." In her heart Katrina wants to believe what her mother is saying but somewhere in her mind Katrina had doubts. Inside the ER, the surgeons wash their hands in preparation for the surgery. Once they were done with that they put on gloves and the nurse brings in the surgery tools, one of the surgeons begins to carefully unzip Keith's g-suit, tossing the bloodied article of clothing aside along with his gloves and boots. The surgeons decide to do an X-ray of Keith to see if there's any more limb damage, they soon get their answer as the X-ray shows that both the ulna and radius in his left forearm were fractured and only connected to the rest of the arm by muscles and tendons, he also had a fractured femur and a broken humerus in his right arm. He also had broken some ribs.

One surgeon gasped, "Oh…my…god…! How in the hell is this kid still alive?" None of his fellow surgeons could answer as they are asking themselves the same question.

The leader clapped his hands, "Alright, guys enough time has been wasted as it is and Keith is living on borrowed time. If we don't operate on him now then he's going to die." His partners nod their heads in agreement and they proceed to the operating table where their patient laid there sedated. Keith is hooked up onto a life support system before the surgeons stop his heart for the surgery (I know in real life this wouldn't be possible I think but since this story is sci-fi, anything is possible. That's the many wonders about storytelling). They commence with the operation.

Outside of the ER Katrina sat praying. Seeing their daughter like this made their hearts break they both know how important Keith is to Katrina as a friend yet they somehow feel that Katrina's affection for the black-haired American run deeper than they believe. But right now isn't the time. 10 hours pass by and suddenly the ER doors open and the leading surgeon comes out.

Katrina asked, "How did it go?"

The man answered, "The operation was a success. Keith's injuries were bad and we had to use healing solutions to mend his fractured bones in his right arm, left forearm, femur, rib cage and wrist. Some tiny bone fragments were able to land on his heart but lucky for us they didn't go though we had to be careful removing them. The skin over his stomach was mangled but the cuts there aren't deep. We have just finished stitching him up and transferred him to a room."

Selene asked, "What happens now?"

The surgeon informed, "It's up to Keith now. He's in limbo, trapped in between a life and death struggle." 2 weeks later and there has been no change in Keith's condition. It was August 29, Katrina's birthday and she would be turning 8. They decide to go to a bowling alley for her birthday party. They bowled a few games, went to the arcade area and then ate cake. The party went well but Katrina was sad that Keith can't join them because of his injuries. The next day, Katrina pays Keith a visit. She enters his assigned room, grabbed a chair and sits at his bedside then holds his hand seeing him lying in that hospital bed hooked up to vital monitors made Katrina feel powerless unable to do anything.

Katrina said, "Keith, you gotta come back to us, I wouldn't forgive myself if you died." She has been reflecting upon her feelings toward Keith, sure she was kind to him and cared about the boy almost motherly at times. They shared a strong friendship but is it possible that Katrina's affection with Keith might be growing into something more? Seeing Keith in this life or death struggle seems to have reinforced her theory.

_Keith found himself sitting on his knees with his hands and legs in shackles, his head was held down and his eyes were bleak and distant. Whenever he was alone and not doing missions, he secretly drowns himself in sorrow stating that he would be alone for the rest of his life and nobody would care if he passed away. He sees memories of his parents flash before him and the sight of it made his heart ache. They are the ones that Keith needed right now. He missed his mom and dad everyday like he lost a piece of himself when they died. The pain became too much for him to bear and gave up, closing his eyes. _

_He said, "I'm sorry, Katrina." _

Katrina continues to hold onto his hand praying for him to come back to her. She hears the door to Keith's room open when Katrina turns to look she saw that it was Sherry holding a bouquet of flowers and places them into a water-filled glass vase. Wynne D. Fanchon and Roy Saaland were with her.

Sherry asked, "Have any changes in his condition happened?"

Katrina shook her head solemnly, "No." Suddenly, Keith's vital signs become erratic and both Sherry and Katrina began to grow concerned.

She said, "Please Keith, don't give up! Come back to us!" Then Keith's vital signs flat line and both of the female pilots felt their hearts sink.

Katrina broke down, "Keith! I beg of you, please don't go! Keith! Keith!"

Fanchon placed a hand on her shoulder, "Katrina, stop."

Katrina sobbed, "You idiot! I taught you everything I know about being a pilot and this how you repay me by giving up?"

_Keith sat in the darkness not wanting nothing more than just disappear from the face of the planet, Stasis appears and looked down on him. The NEXT was a LAHIRE type developed by Omer Science Technology. It was blue in color and its arsenal included an AR-O700 assault rifle, ER-O705 energy rifle, MP-O901 missile launcher that fired missiles difficult to shake off and an RD03-PANDORA radar unit. _

_Otsdarva mocked, "Look at you. Pathetic! I don't know what Katrina was thinking when she took you as an apprentice but you are utterly and completely pathetic! You were never worthy of being a pilot and you never will be! Say good-bye." Before the trigger is pulled, Black Dragon phased in out of nowhere and kicked the enemy away then stood in front of its pilot protectively. Keith looks up at his NEXT, wondering how it can operate without him inside it. He also noticed that it wasn't missing an arm and leg and the core had no damage whatsoever. _

_'Why did my NEXT save me?' Keith thought. Stasis got back up and charges at Black Dragon but the black Armored Core just countered it with a hay maker, Stasis tried again but like a second ago the attack is repelled. Black Dragon catches its opponent by both the assault and energy rifle before unloading a round from the OGOTO grenade cannon that made Stasis skid back. _

_Otsdarva asked, "Why do you protect your pathetic excuse for a pilot?" Black Dragon doesn't answer and that annoyed Otsdarva, the MP-O901 launches a swarm of missiles that are aimed for Black Dragon but the machine uses its Assault Armor to destroy the incoming projectiles then threw a roundhouse kick that sends Stasis rolling across the dark ground before aiming the WADOU grenade rifle at the blue NEXT, a fireball lights up the darkness then fades. _

_Katrina begged, "Keith, please come back to us!" _

_Keith cried, "I know that voice. That's Katrina calling out to me." _

_Katrina continued, "Don't choose death, Keith. You…have a…family here…that cares…about you!" From what he could hear, it sounded like Katrina was crying. _

_Keith mumbled, "Cares about me?" _

_Otsdarva said, "They don't want you, boy. You just get in their way!" _

_Katrina sobbed, "Keith…I care about you. You are…an important…member of…this family." _

_The boy gasped, "Katrina cares about me?" He blinked his eyes and they regained their shinny deep blue color and were filled with life. He never doubted Katrina before and the tone of honesty he heard in her voice convinced him that Katrina meant it. He stood up and his shackles crack then vanished. Stasis vanished from Keith's mind and so did Black Dragon. _

_A voice said, "Go back to where you truly belong where people that are very important to you are waiting." Keith didn't know where the voice was coming from but it did have a point, he had a place to go back to. _

_Keith said, "I have no intention of dying here! I want to live!" A bright light engulfed him. _

Katrina kissed Keith's forehead and gazes at his still form then the vital monitors begin to beep again, much to everyone's surprise. Keith's eyelids start to flicker weakly then they slowly open, Katrina felt her heart sing in joy as Keith's eyelids continue to move upward till they are fully open and he looked at the group with a smile.

Katrina said, "Keith. You're back!"

Keith apologized, "I must really have had you guys scared. I'm sorry for that." Katrina just smiled at him before she buries her face in Keith's shoulder as she sobbes uncontrollably Keith wrapped his arms around her with one hand stroking her silky blue hair while using the other to gently pad her back.

Katrina sobbed, "Keith. I was worried…that you….would leave…us."

Keith said, "It is okay, Katrina. I'm here."

Katrina asked in between sobs, "Keith, will you…promise me not….to scare us like that again?" She freed her face from Keith's shoulder and gazed at him with a pleading yet smiling face. That smile turned into surprise when she notices that tears were falling from Keith's deep blue eyes.

Sherry got his attention, "Listen, Keith I cannot fully imagine the pain you must be going through losing your parents at such a young age but you are not alone. So what do you say? Will you open up to others again and become a new you?"

Keith stayed silent for a moment before he gave his answer, "Sure thing, Sherry." He then looked at Katrina with a smile, "If that's okay with you."

Katrina smiled, "You don't need my permission for that. Of course, it's okay." Roy stood there with his arms crossed and a small smile appears on his face. Selene and Scott show up and have smiles on as they gazed at the sight of their daughter feeling relieved that her friend was back.

Selene told him, "You should consider yourself lucky that our daughter cares about you the way she does. She may be able to help you find happiness again."

Keith looked away with a pained expression on his face, "That's sweet and all, Selene but there are things you can't overcome as easily. Losing a loved one like your parents really hurts you know?"

Katrina cupped his cheeks in her hands to make him look at her and said in a soft voice, "I can understand how you must feel about their deaths, Keith but you can't linger on it. Take all of the happy memories you have about them and let it help you find peace with them. I know it won't be easy but Keith I'm asking you to please let go of the past and move on."

Keith answered, "I'll try." The doctors decide to keep Keith overnight and Katrina asked her parents if she could stay and her mother said she could. She sleeps in the cot that was in Keith's room. His condition improves drastically overnight and by the next morning he gets checked out. He, Katrina, Sherry, Roy and Wynne D. Fanchon return to Collared and most of the NEXT pilots were happy that Keith is back though a few weren't. Keith heads to the hanger where engineers are repairing Black Dragon along the way, he and Otsdarva cross paths once again and like the first time they saw one another, their eyes lock onto each other. This time around however, Keith's eyes held hatred at the rank 1 Lynx. He will never forget what Otsdarva said to him while Keith was in his life or death struggle during his life threatening injured state. Keith then resumes his journey toward the hanger at the same time he promises that Otsdarva would pay for what he said about not knowing what Katrina was thinking when she took Keith as her student, that he was pathetic and that he will never be a great pilot.

'We'll see about that, Otsdarva. You can count on it.' Keith thought. When he entered the hanger's observation room he sees the engineers finishing up repairs to Black Dragon. The severed arm and leg were replaced and a new WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher was in the left back weapon slot and the same thing went for the WADOU grenade rifle that rested on the right arm. All the bumps, dents and cracks in Black Dragon's armor were fixed. The lead engineer enters the room and saw the pilot.

He said, "We managed to repair your NEXT and replace all of the damaged parts."

Keith nodded, "Thank you, sir. How much is the cost for this?"

The lead engineer informed, "Take a look."

He hands Keith the hand held computer and the black-haired Lynx raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Holy cow, 2,345 Credits? That's cheap."

The man chuckled, "I've seen NEXTs more badly banged up than yours was. In fact that's the least damaged Armored Core I have seen throughout my career as an engineer." Keith heads down to the hanger and hops into the open cockpit and tested the systems to make sure that all of them were working properly, all systems showed green so Keith could relax. He pays the repair fee and while it may seem expensive to the untrained eye Keith was willing to pay it because he knows that there are missions he can do to increase the credits reserve he has. Around 12:00 p.m. Keith takes a stroll in a deserted park before arriving at a hill that had a nice view of the ocean. He spread his arms out slightly, opened his hands, tilts his head back and closed his eyes. The Sun bathes him in its warming light as if letting it clear his mind and soul of negativity. He stood there for a few minutes and a minute later, returns to a normal poster feeling refreshed. He hears Katrina walking up to stand by his side.

Katrina asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

Keith answered, "Just enjoying the view from here. Why are you here?"

The blue-haired girl giggled, "I wanted to see you, you silly boy." Overcome by a sudden unknown urge, Katrina laid her head against Keith's shoulder and she feels Keith wrap an arm around his waist pulling her closer to him. A blush stained her cheeks. A part of her wanted to be this close to her friend and she was given the chance to do so.

A/N: Okay, chapter 9 done. The injuries Keith had in this chapter were originally far worse than seen here but I ultimately decided to tone them down to what you see here. Still, less gruesome or not, I'd still advise to read this at your own discretion. The whole little mind battle between Black Dragon and Stasis was a little…weird at best but again that was in Keith's mind so things happen differently there than in the real world.

Things are heating up between Keith and Otsdarva.

We also get to see a glimpse of Katrina's feelings for Keith.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 10.

Vader 23A


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Rise of a Reputation

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The month of September comes and summer was nearing its end and the Lynx War has reached its peak so the battles reach a whole new level of intensity. Word going around was that the company Bernard & Felix Foundation or BFF for short had fallen after a single NEXT pilot had sank the company's flagship and HQ, the Queens Lance. It's now been 5 weeks since the terrorist attack and repairs to Collared were halfway complete plus the upgrades were taking place. The hanger's maximum holding capacity was also underway the intended goal is for the hanger to house up to 10 NEXTs in comparison to its current maximum holding capacity of only 6. Katrina was taking a walk when she sees Canis and Shamir RaviRavi, a rank 15 Lynx and pilot of Red Rum in a heated argument.

Canis said, "Listen, Shamir Keith is not some arrogant punk who lets his rank status get the better of him and makes him think he is the best!"

Shamir fired back, "Being the rank 1 Lynx means you are superior to others! Those who have faced Otsdarva suffered a humiliating defeat by his hands. You faced him once, Canis and look what happened to you."

Canis retorted, "I was brash and cocky just like any newcomer would act. Yeah, I got my butt kicked by Otsdarva so what?"

Shamir grinned, "That just goes to prove that you are beneath Otsdarva."

Canis mocked, "Is that so, Ms. Sadistic? Last time I checked you didn't do so well yourself against him. As a matter of fact you got yourself owned by Otsdarva, huh? Plus, it wasn't too long ago that I defeat you as well." That got under Shamir's skin.

She began, "You want to know what I think about Keith?"

Canis cut her off, "I don't want to know what you think! I don't care what you think! What you think is irrelevant! So you can go ahead and say anything you want and I mean that's all you do when not on a mission: bark, bark, bark, that's what you do but I don't." Suddenly Keith walked in between them and looked at both pilots before returning his gaze to what's in front of him.

Shamir said, "You better keep moving, boy because you're just a newcomer."

Keith whipped around and fired back, "You will never defeat me, Shamir and deep down in that black heart of yours you know it." He turned around and continues to head for the library. Once there he scans through the book cases until he found the book he's looking for. It was about the human body and how to treat most injuries without requiring surgery. Aside from reading about stars and other scientific stuff, Keith needed to know as much as he could about the human body. After being released from the hospital people noticed that Keith's personality was beginning to change. He was acting friendlier around others and was less cold hearted as some people viewed him as. Maybe it was the near death experience that caused this. Maybe it was because of Selene's request of opening up to others again. Maybe it was because of Katrina's confession of caring about him. Most agree that it must be a combination of all three, whatever it may be this near death experience made Keith realize that he is not invincible and that he can die on any given mission. One thing that remains unfazed was the fact that Keith doesn't allow himself to be intimidated by others, no matter how big they are. When Keith is finished reading the book he puts it away and left the library to make his way to the elevator. He presses the button inside the elevator to take him to the first basement floor. Once there he exits and finds an empty computer. He sits down and accessed the base's memory banks on every registered pilot in Collared, their rank number, what NEXTs they pilot and the weapons they equipped it with. Studying these pilots will help Keith be prepared should he encounter any one of them during a mission. Satisfied with the information, Keith logged out and leaves the room to check for available missions. One was and he chose it. It had a 7 star rating and had a 5,000 Credit reward.

The briefing began, "Here's the mission. The client is GA America and your target is Omer's 10th naval fleet that just departed from a naval base off the coast of Alaska. The fleet consists of destroyers, aircraft carriers, battleships and submarines. They shouldn't pose a problem for a NEXT, plus during this time of year the ocean near Alaska is littered with icebergs as a result from breaking off of glaciers, making it a fine place for submarine ambushes so exercise caution when being out there. Also the client is offering bonuses for the destruction of supply ships that are escorting the fleet. Since this mission will take some time to complete, we've readied a resupply ship of our own use it when your ammo is low. Oh yeah, almost forgot. Since you are also taking on a sizable fleet the client is authorizing the use of support NEXTs to assist you. Let me know if you're interested. Well, that's it. This is your chance to establish a business relationship with GA America so make a worthy first impression. Good luck, kid." Keith looks at the available support NEXTs for the mission. They were Red Angel, Savage Beast, Vora Nork and My Bliss. Keith found himself in a tight spot because all of them looked like excellent choices. Ultimately the black-haired Lynx selects Red Angel and Savage Beast and then him, Katrina and Canis suit up before heading for their NEXTs and proceeding to carry out the mission. They board an aircraft super carrier specially designed to carry Armored Cores. The monster ship had an escort fleet comprised of battleships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines with the super carrier serving as the flagship. The fleet departs from Washington Harbor and set out to the target area. The weather was clear and mild with temperatures reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit. At one point during the journey Canis felt woozy then his stomach churned and he runs to the nearest restroom to empty his stomach. Keith and Katrina saw a blue whale breach the water's surface in the distance to inhale air and made a mighty splash before it vanished beneath the waves again.

Suddenly they heard the helmsman saying, "We're nearing the mission area, ETA 14 minutes. We're also approaching the iceberg field so stay alert." The crew onboard the submarines keep an eye on their sonar for the enemy. As the allied fleet moves closer and closer, the number of icebergs increased to the point where the submarines and destroyers are ordered to break up the mountains of floating ice so the ships could advance. The icebergs break into smaller ones and float away then the ships press onward they had 5 minutes left before reaching the mission area. When they reached 1 minute a rain of three 15" shells emerge from the sky and screamed toward the allied fleet. 2 destroyers are obliterated and water comes pouring in through the gaping hole in their portside.

The captain exclaimed, "All hands to battle stations! Send out the NEXTs!" Keith, Katrina and Canis put on their helmets then power up their Armored Cores. The elevator takes them up and Katrina goes first, Red Angel places its feet onto the catapult and latches secure. Katrina lights up her machine's boosters.

She called out, "Katrina in Red Angel taking off." The catapult propels the red Armored Core off the flight deck and into the sky then it retracts to launch the next one. Black Dragon steps onto it.

Keith said, "This is Keith Oswell, Black Dragon heading out." The black Armored Core heads out and then Savage Beast is launched.

Serene ordered, "Commence mission, eradicate Omer's 10th fleet. Don't leave a single afloat, sink them all."

Keith nodded, "Roger. Katrina, Canis and allied fleet, I am activating the target designation system so we won't hit each other by accident during the mission." Keith, Katrina and Canis start picking targets. The enemy aircraft carriers launch their aircraft and head for the allied fleet. The friendly battleships ready their main battery of twelve 16"/50 caliber Mk 7 guns housed in triple turrets then fire a full broadside sending a rain of lethal shells flying through the air and slice right through an enemy destroyer's engine room, cutting her speed in half.

Moments later, a round Black Dragon's WADOU grenade rifle smashed into the bridge. To the ship's crew it felt like their vessel was picked up and shaken, the main mast was ripped in two. The allied battleships fire their twelve 16" guns again. A shell strikes a magazine depot and the powder in it ignites then a geyser of flame spews from the ship's ruptured deck. Suddenly a powerful explosion happens twisting and sheering the ship in half, a turret is launched off its holder from the force of the explosion. Keith witnessed the event from the air and felt sorry for all the poor souls who were on that ship when it blew up.

A missile warning tells Keith that an anti-air missile has been launched by another enemy destroyer so Black Dragon begins a rapid dive down towards the ocean then at the last second pulled out of the dive and the missile hits the destroyer turning it into scrap metal. Black Dragon lands on the deck of a battleship and looks at the occupants inside the bridge, the sailors scream in terror as the bridge is cut in half by the 07-Moonlight laser blade and finished it with a round of the OGOTO grenade cannon.

Savage Beast destroys a group of torpedoes that were aiming for the allied submarines and the friendly vessels return the favor by launcher their torpedoes. Canis felt missiles impacting his NEXT but they didn't cause any damage thanks to Savage Beast's Primal Armor. The Armored Core looks up to see the ones responsible for that strike and downs the fighter jets with both the AR-O700 assault rifle and LR04-AVIOR laser rifle then turned its attention to the enemy submarines. The desert yellow, tiger striped machine dives into the water and commenced its attack, ripping the submarines apart one by one. The explosions shot up a column of water into the air.

The captain of one battleship exclaimed, "Who the hell are these guys? They aren't human!" When a water column dissipates, Black Dragon appears from behind it and had the ship locked on for the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher. Achieving a 10 lock max a swarm of missiles come hurtling at the mighty ship the projectiles score home on the deck but the thick armor reduced the damage level so the WHEELING-01 is fired and the results are still the same. Quickly thinking of an alternative, Keith closed the distance between his NEXT and the target and activated the Assault Armor, the cyan colored sphere appeared, imploded then explodes in all directions. The sheer power of the attack completely annihilates the battleship and it slowly capsizes Black Dragon halves a surfaced submarine with the 07-Moonlight laser blade.

Red Angel dodges a swarm of SAMs that were aiming at it and glared at the destroyers that launched them with those glowing cobalt blue eyes as the HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon is selected. The sailors onboard the naval vessels start backing up when they see the HLC09-ACRUX charging up when it reached full power, the weapon is fired. The beam obliterates every ship in its path and none of the targets are able to withstand its immense power as they explode like firecrackers. The radar man on the enemy aircraft carrier watches as the number of ships rapidly dwindled right before his eyes.

He counted, "40% of our fleet is destroyed. No, 50% destroyed!" The laser beam pierces a battleship's bridge and goes out through the other side before the warship bursts into flames. Red Angel shoots down enemy aircraft with its 03-MOTORCOBRA machine gun a second one closes in for gun range but was personally introduced to Red Angel's EB-R500 laser blade and crashes into the ocean.

Black Dragon moves about beneath the waves and slicing every submarine in its way immediately following that it explodes from the water and aims the OGOTO grenade cannon at the enemy flagship since understood that if he took out the leader of the enemy pack then the followers will plunge into disarray. The bright orange shell screams through the air and scores a direct hit leaving a 40 foot gaping hole on her portside. The behemoth slowly tips over. Looking at the remaining ammo of his weapons Keith landed his NEXT onto the allied supply ship to have them replenished. The process took only a few minutes and then Keith hopped back into battle.

A fighter jet launches a pair of AIM-7 Sparrow missiles at Savage Beast but the Armored Core releases flares from the YASMIN shoulder units to direct the incoming missiles away then retaliates with the AR-O700 assault rifle to blow it to bits. The enemy could only watch as its fleet is picked apart by the combined might of Black Dragon, Red Angel and Savage Beast and the allied fleet.

Serene said, "Confirmed, the enemy fleet has been destroyed. Mission complete, quite the carnage you three have caused."

Canis replied, "It would've taken longer if those allied ships were not here." Keith looked at the burning wrecks of their targets as smoke continues to bellow out there were two emotions running through him. The first one was that he felt a sense accomplishment for completing the mission without taking casualties. The second was feeling regretful over the fact that some of those sailors weren't even in their prime yet, just recently graduating from a navy academy. Their young lives snuffed out abruptly and he felt remorse for these poor souls' family member finding out about their loved one's death. All of this by his, Katrina's, and Canis' own hands! The three NEXTs return to the aircraft super carrier and the allied ships begin their long trip back to Washington Harbor.

Katrina asked, "Hey Keith, you alright? You've been quiet."

Keith answered, "I'm okay, Katrina just accepting the fact that we caused this mass destruction is a bitter pill for me to swallow." Katrina kept in mind that Keith is still relatively new to this and it would take time for him to get used to it. Considering that his current mental state isn't exactly stable right now made fear slither its way into Katrina's chest, she prayed that Keith doesn't allow the horrors of war to consume him and makes him go on a mindless, bloody rampage.

Serene informed, "Wait, I've just received a transmission from GA America and it sounds rather urgent."

Canis wondered, "What's it about?"

Their operator replied, "May Greenfield was doing a recon mission in the Middle East when she came under attack by 4 unknown NEXTs, May was able to damage 2 of them before she ran out of ammo. She is currently pinned down at Old Peace City in Eastern Syria. Her exact location in Old Peace City is unknown so you might have to contact her when you get there. It's up to you whether or not to accept, Keith. If you're interested a transport helicopter is standing by."

Keith turned to his friends, "Well, guys are you coming with me? I'm not going to allow a fellow Lynx be slaughtered like some animal."

Canis answered, "I'm good, Keith."

Katrina shook her head, "Sorry, Keith. I would love to go with you but someone needs to escort these ships back to Washington Harbor."

Keith sighed, "Looks like I am doing this rescue mission by myself. Serene, inform the transport helicopter that I'm accepting the request."

Serene nodded, "Roger that." She radios the helicopter pilot and he directs the aircraft to hover over the super carrier. Black Dragon replenishes its ammo then used its main boosters to rise into the air and onto the underbelly of the chopper. Latches engage locking the black Armored Core in place before its transport embarks on its journey to Old Peace City. At the said city May found herself outnumbered, out of ammo and low AP. She hopes that someone will answer her distress call she sent out after those 4 unidentified NEXTs attacked her. The pilot prays that her enemies don't spot her but luck wasn't on her side today. One of the NEXTs, a two legged light model, spots her and alerted his comrades the other 3 soon arrive.

May cursed, "Shit!" She fired up the boosters and attempts to flee but the two legged light NEXT blocks her escape making Greenfield clench her teeth in frustration.

The enemy leader said, "Hold on, boys let's take our time with this pilot. I want her death to be slow and as painful as we can. Don't you agree?" The other three nod their heads, agreeing to his proposal. May wishes her NEXT's weapons had ammo right now so that if she was going to die then she would take them with her.

'This is how my life ends. To live by the sword and die by the sword I'm sorry, Keith I wish I could see you one more time before I died.' The fiery red-haired woman thought with regret.

Suddenly they hear the pilot of the light model NEXT scream before his machine exploded, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

The enemy leader asked, "What caused that explosion? It couldn't have been a system malfunction because I had our machines checked on before we left." They get their answer as a gust of wind cleared the smoke from the burning wreckage. The one responsible for that explosion is revealed. The machine was black in color and had its grenade rifle smoking after firing the gun.

His comrade wondered, "Who is that?"

May Greenfield smiled, "Keith!" The black-haired pilot studied May's attackers.

The enemy leader NEXT was a SUNSHINE two legged heavy model colored black with blue highlights and its eye was white. Its arsenal was composed of an upgraded bazooka that held more firepower in its right hand, a 07-Moonlight laser blade on the left arm, a YAMAGA grenade cannon for the left back unit and a large missile launcher that could fire destructive. Its name was Grim Reaper.

The second NEXT was a heavy weight tank type NEXT with a rusty red color scheme, had a head part shaped like a square, a blue eye, it had the same core part that Black Dragon does, chain guns for arms, a slug gun for its left back unit and a rocket launcher for the right. The female pilot named her machine Red Knight.

The third NEXT was a reverse-legged model utilizing GA America parts, its body was orange, had a purple eye, dual 03-MOTORCOBRA machine guns in both of its hands, and twin rocket launchers for back mounting weapons. His Armored Core was named Night Shadow because its pilot mostly did night missions so his machine would be harder to spot. Its name was in contrast to its orange colored body. Keith concluded that Grim Reaper, Red Knight and Night Shadow were the heavy hitters of the group while the two-legged light NEXT he destroyed a second ago must be used mostly for recon missions because of its speed and agility.

He asked, "May, are you okay?"

May answered, "Yeah, I'm fine though my NEXT is in bad shape, the majority of systems are still online but my boosters are damaged so my speed is cut in half and my AP is down to 967 at best. I was doing a recon mission of this city when these guys jumped on me out of nowhere I was able to damage 2 of them before my NEXT ran out of ammo and the numbers game began to catch up to me."

Keith said, "Can you still use your boosters? I can escort you back to base for repairs."

Greenfield replied, "Yeah, but given the current condition they're in it will take longer to return."

Her friend informed, "I'll handle these guys you just concentrate on surviving until this battle is over."

Greenfield cried in concern, "But isn't 3 on 1 too much for you? I heard that you nearly died after your battle with Gray Wolf."

Keith chuckled, "Don't worry about me, May I'll be fine. My near death experience has made me realize that I'm not immortal so I am more cautious than I was when I first started as a pilot." The 3 enemy NEXTs have payback on their minds since their friend was killed by the arrival of Black Dragon. Grim Reaper commences its attack first by locking onto Black Dragon and fired one of its large missiles but Black Dragon quick boosts to the rights to have the missile lose tracking of its target, seizing the opportunity, Grim Reaper ignites the 07-Moonlight laser blade and lights up its boosters to swiftly close the distance. Just as the blade is raised Black Dragon suddenly whips around and blocked the attack with its own 07-Moonlight then kicks Grim Reaper in the gut, sending it back. Black Dragon quickly moves away to avoid a rain of lead from Red Knight's chain gun arms. Mounting a counter attack Keith selects the OGOTO grenade cannon and fires a round at his already damaged opponent then activates the overed booster to quickly close in. The Armored Core uses its shoulder to ram into Red Knight and inflicts severe damage with a combination attack of the WADOU grenade rifle and 07-Moonlight laser blade. Black Dragon then pulls away from its prey and waited to attack again.

Night Shadow fires its machine guns at the target but Black Dragon dodged them with precision before retaliating with the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and NEMAHA-01 vertical support missiles. The missiles hit home and damage was inflicted on Night Shadow. Sensing an attack from Grim Reaper Black Dragon moves out of the way and the 3 enemy NEXTs regroup as they gaze at the challenger that just might be their personal executioner. Black Dragon did the Rest in Peace sign by slitting its thumb across the throat with glowing red eyes and the pilots felt the blood drain from their faces.

The pilot of Night Shadow said in fear, "Who…who is this guy? He isn't human!"

Grim Reaper's pilot rolled his eyes, "You watch too many horror movies, Yuri."

Yuri replied, "How do you explain all this damage my NEXT has then? I'm telling you he's a demon, Alexander."

Alexander informed, "Damn it, Yuri get a grip! As long as our NEXTs are still functional, we can kick some ass!"

Keith said, "Let us finish this. Don't hold a grudge against me once I've ended your lives. After all, this is war."

Night Shadow charges at Black Dragon and Alexander exclaimed, "Yuri, no! Night Shadow's AP is down 90%, one more hit and you're done for!" His warning fell upon deaf ears as Night Shadow continues forward and fails to react quickly enough as Black Dragon spun around and slices the orange colored Armored Core in half and retreated to a minimal safe distance before Night Shadow explodes.

Jean yelled, "Yuri!" Red Knight attempts to avenge to its fallen comrade but only to suffer the same fate at the hands of Black Dragon's Assault Armor and at point-blank range there is no way Jean would react fast enough. Now it was down to 1 on 1. May was shocked at what's happening right in front of her.

'I was barely able to defeat just 2 of those enemy NEXTs but Keith defeated 3 of them with no problem. He's amazing!' She thought in awe. Black Dragon raised the 07-Moonlight laser blade up to eye level.

Keith said, "Alexander, while you are still breathing I am offering you a free pass on leaving this place with no further damage to Grim Reaper."

Alexander screamed, "Shut up!" Grim Reaper ignites its 07-Moonlight and speeds toward the enemy and attempts to strike Keith down but only to have it blocked by Black Dragon's own 07-Moonlight laser blade. Grim Reaper throws a punch at Black Dragon, it gets caught and Black Dragon kicks Grim Reaper away.

Keith explained, "If you guys didn't attack May Greenfield then you wouldn't have been in this situation."

His foe hissed, "You will die, demon from hell!"

Keith sighed, "I guess only in death you will understand that I was only protecting my friend from your attacks." A golden colored beam comes out of nowhere and destroys Grim Reaper. Keith knew that only one weapon can shoot this beam: the ER-O75 energy rifle and Stasis possessed the weapon.

The NEXT appeared out of the sky and lands next to the wreckage.

Otsdarva said, "You looked like you were going to be history. It's a good thing I showed up in time." Now Otsdarva was starting to become a nuisance. No, more like a pain in the ass in Keith's mind. Black Dragon approaches Stasis and knocks it down placing a foot on Stasis' chest to keep the blue NEXT pinned and points the WADOU grenade rifle at its head.

Keith said with barely restrained anger, "I was doing just fine in that fight in fact I took out 3 of those NEXTs even though 2 of them were already damaged by Merrygate. I had this fight won until you showed up and took my kill. In fact, going out into combat without permission or receiving a mission from a client is a clear violation in the rules of engagement. Heed my warning, Otsdarva because I will not repeat it. You get illegally involved in one of my missions again, you stick your nose in my business one more time and I won't be as merciful next time." Black Dragon removes its foot from Stasis' chest and approaches Merrygate and signals for the transport helicopter.

'Alexander, Yuri, Jean, I pray that you find peace in the afterlife.' Keith thought with sympathy. The two Armored Cores hide in the shadow of a building to get out of the blistering mid-day Sun and to wait for the transport to arrive. Around 4:00 p.m., the vehicle arrives and took the two NEXTs back to Collared. Once there May directs her machine to the hanger for repairs while Keith meets up with Katrina and Canis. The trio got out of their g-suits, gloves and boots, shower then don normal clothes to enjoy the rest of the day after their mission. They received their share of the Credit reward the mission had and take turns discussing the mission.

Katrina said, "So Otsdarva stuck his nose where it shouldn't belong?"

Keith nodded, "Yeah. He does it again and I'm gonna mow him down!"

A/N: Chapter 10 done. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I got Call of Duty: Black Ops for my PS3, the disaster movie 2012, a book about WWII planes and a space book with pictures of stars, galaxies, etc. taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, some new pants and socks since I was in need of some.

Okay, besides that Keith won his first battle against more than one NEXT on his own until Otsdarva stole Keith's kill by taking Grim Reaper.

Looks like Otsdarva's arrogance is writing checks his ass can't cash, huh? Since Keith is really getting annoyed by him. Hope Otsdarva heeds Keith's warning.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 11 and Happy New Year, everyone.

Vader 23A


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Predictions

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Keith and Katrina are talking about what to do today since there were no missions available at the moment. That is half the reason why, the other half is because of the fact that the increasing painful headaches that Keith has been having were starting to affect his performance so he decided that it'd be best to take the day off and let his body recuperate.

Keith asked, "Do you have any ideas on what to do?"

Katrina shook her head, "No, I'm stumped."

Her friend suggested, "We can walk around town, get a bite to eat for lunch, or enjoy the scenery. Do those sound nice?"

Katrina smiled, "I think that sounds lovely."

Suddenly Otsdarva appeared before them, "Hey, Keith and Katrina. It seems you two are getting close."

Keith said, "Excuse us for a second, Katrina."

Katrina nodded, "Sure." The blue-haired girl heads off to keep her mind occupied, once she was gone Keith returned his gaze at the rank 1 Lynx.

Otsdarva said, "You know, you have a weird way of saying thank you. Yesterday you were on a rescue mission to save May Greenfield, you were facing 3 enemy NEXTs, I came to even out the score and I wind up getting threatened by you."

Keith placed his hands on his hips and chuckled, "Listen. I told you yesterday stay out of my business. I didn't need your help because I was doing fine in that battle until you came and stole my kill. You came to Old Peace City without permission you're lucky that I did not report you for that."

Otsdarva started, "Listen…"

Keith cut him off, "No, no, no, you listen. You are becoming a major pain and it's getting annoying. Look, you're the rank 1 Lynx I am aware of that but you are sticking your nose where it doesn't belong and it bothers me. You know it's only a matter of time before someone surpasses you and takes your title as rank 1."

The pilot of Stasis replied, "Maybe you're right. Maybe it will be only a matter of time before I am dethroned but let me tell you something. To be the best, you have to beat the best."

Keith chuckled, "Yeah, well I'll tell you something. Until you beat me in a NEXT battle you're nothing!" He leaves to catch up to Katrina to enjoy the day off. Keith wore a white T-shirt, dark gray shorts, white socks and a pair of blue and white Nike shoes.

Katrina donned her Undertaker T-shirt, navy blue shorts, white socks and her black Adidas shoes with blue stripes. The pair head out and go for a walk around town, they see a couple holding one another and kiss until someone passes by and told them to get a room. Keith smiled at the young lovers seeing them enjoy one another's company. He wonders what it'd be like if he had a lover, how he would hold her and kiss her. Keith shook his head to bring himself back to reality instead of his little dream world he and Katrina come across the Butterfly Pavilion that was completed before the Lynx War occurred. They decide to check it out. Upon entering Keith and Katrina go to see the butterflies first, Katrina's eyes lit up when she sees all different species of butterflies with all sorts of coloration. One landed in her hand and groomed itself with running its small legs against its long antennas that were on its head before taking off again.

Katrina said, "Wow!"

Keith nodded, "Beautiful, aren't they? Let's check out the arachnids now." Katrina looked hesitant upon hearing that.

She cried, "I don't know…"

Keith put his hands together, "Please, Katrina? We NEXT pilots have barely any time to enjoy ourselves when not doing mission sorties so we should enjoy whatever R&R we get. Don't chicken out on me." He gives Katrina the puppy eyes and no matter how hard one would try, it was difficult to say no to the puppy eyes.

Katrina sighed, "Alright." Keith smiled brightly at her and pulled her by the arm to lead her into the arachnid part of the pavilion. The place had all sorts of eight-legged creepy crawlies ranging from spiders to scorpions they even had centipedes. A certain cage caught Keith's eye, in it was a large yellow spider with red jaws and extremely large fangs. He and Katrina look down at the description.

Keith read it, "The Brazilian Wandering spiders are extremely fast, highly aggressive and highly venomous spiders located in the genus Phoneutria, Greek for 'Murderess.' Up to 8 species of this genus have been confirmed. They grow to have a leg span of 5 inches and nearly 2 inches in body length. The Wandering spider gets its name due to its nature of being an active hunter instead maintaining a web or burrow. It has been ranked as the most venomous spider in the world. It is also nicknamed the Banana Spider because it is occasionally found in banana boxes after being shipped overseas. It has highly toxic venom and is known to cause endless and very painful erections in male victims of its bite and result in impotence. Up to 3,000 people in Brazil get bitten by this spider every year. Wow, this would be an arachnophobia's worst nightmare." They move onward and look at different kinds of tarantulas housed in cages until Keith and Katrina notice a spider handler holding a fully grown female Mexican Red Knee tarantula in his hand and allowing people to hold it. Soon the two Lynx are up and Katrina became as white as a ghost when the big, hairy spider was in front of her.

The man asked, "Want to hold her?"

Katrina screamed, "Get that thing out of my face right now!" Keith covered Katrina's mouth with his hand since it was creating a scene.

He smiled sheepishly, "Apparently Katrina isn't a big fan of spiders nothing to see here people go back to what you were doing." He suddenly felt Katrina go limp against him and that meant she fainted just now. He set her against the wall and he held the tarantula. The spider's feet felt soft and cold against his warm hand Keith did nothing to provoke the arachnid. While its bite is like that of a bee sting, the real danger was those hairs on the tarantula's body. If they feel threatened they can flick off some of those hairs and they would target the eyes and inside of the throat of its attacker. The hairs would feel like tiny pieces of glass piercing you. Keith gave the spider back to its handler carefully then hoisted Katrina up onto his shoulder and carried her out. Keith continues to hold Katrina as he walked until hears her moan as she started to come around and Keith placed her on her feet.

Katrina asked, "What happened?"

Keith answered, "You fainted." Then he saw a Panda Express in front of them, "How about we something to eat like some Chinese food?" His companion nodded and they both head over to the restaurant, Keith got some pork fried rice while Katrina got the same thing. They eat their fill and continue to enjoy the day then caught a tent out of the corner of his eye, Keith and Katrina head over there and went inside to see a pretty young woman wearing a gipsy outfit. She medium-length auburn hair, gray eyes, a slender figure and looked to be about 25 years old.

She smiled, "Welcome, Keith Oswell and Katrina. My name is Shirley Kim and I do fortune telling."

Keith gasped in surprise, "What the world? How did you know our names? We just met!"

Shirley giggled, "My crystal ball told me."

'Okay that's freaky.' Keith thought with a mental sweat drop.

The woman offered, "If you like, I can read your fortune for you."

Katrina said hesitantly, "I don't know…"

Shirley added, "I'll also tell them to you free of charge."

Keith smiled, "Okay."

The woman nodded, "Very well. Let's start with you, Keith."

She waved her hands over the crystal ball, "Ah, I can see your future. You will start down the road to fame and popularity very soon and it will initiate after you defeat a highly skilled NEXT pilot. There will be hard times along that road but with the support of others you will overcome these obstacles. You will also fall in love with a very beautiful girl when you enter your early teens and this will help you heal whatever pain you are feeling inside your heart."

Keith raised his eyebrows in shock, "Wow!"

Katrina said, "Me next!"

Shirley smiled, "Okay." She waved her over the ball once more, "Oh my, what's this?"

The blue-haired pilot asked, "What is it?"

Shirley stated, "It seems that your future is intertwined with Keith's. You are also bound for fame and popularity. You will fall for a special boy in your early teens as well. You will become this person's pillar of strength as the two of you grow closer to one another. Let's see in terms of physical health, both of you are in peak condition. In the financial standpoint, you will be extremely rich as the years go by." Both pilots are completely shocked by the predictions. Keith wondered which highly skilled NEXT pilot Shirley was referring to since there are plenty of experienced pilots out there who he hasn't met yet. They thank Shirley for the fortune telling and bid farewell to see her. Keith and Katrina continue to walk across town when Keith spots something ahead of them and when it became clear enough to see what it was, Katrina placed her hands over her mouth and her violet eyes widen a pair of kids were hitting a wolf hybrid puppy and the poor creature yelped with each hit, unable to withstand its suffering Keith ran forward and beat the hell out of the kids. Eventually they had enough and left since they didn't want to get beat up any further.

Keith yelled, "Damn heartless brats!" Then approached the hurt animal, "You poor thing, you're hurt. Don't worry Katrina and I will take you to a veterinarian so you can get better." The pair got to the nearest one and arrived at the front desk.

The receptionist said, "How may I help you?"

Katrina exclaimed, "This is an emergency! My friend found this puppy being assaulted by a bunch of kids and suspect that it might be severely injured." A veterinarian arrived in time to hear everything. He was a tall handsome man in his mid 30s, had short chestnut brown hair, a nice build and green eyes. He directed them to the back and ordered Keith to place the injured canine onto an operating table. Other surgeons arrive and Keith and Katrina were asked to leave they promised to take good care of the wolf hybrid puppy. Katrina at first didn't want to leave the poor animal's side but Keith told her that they had to leave. The surgeons took X-rays to see what the damage was. Keith gives the receptionist a card that had his number, the receptionist's eyes widen when she realized that Keith is working for Collared.

He said, "Don't worry I have the day off so you can relax. Tell the doctor to call me by this number when the surgery is complete."

The receptionist nodded, "Understood, Keith." Keith and Katrina return to Collared since it was getting dark and Keith knew that these streets can be dangerous at night. Upon returning to Collared, Keith and Katrina head for their rooms to rest for the night. After putting their pajamas on, the pilots enter their beds but Keith notices that Katrina had a look of concern on her face. No doubt that she's worried about that puppy's well being.

Keith said, "Hey, stop worrying about the puppy we rescued earlier Katrina. The lead surgeon and his team promised that they will take good care of the canine. Once the surgery is over, the receptionist promised me that the vet would call me for the results. Tell you what if we don't have missions tomorrow I'll take you to the place to check up on our four-legged buddy. How does that sound?"

Katrina looked at him, "Really? You'd do that?"

Keith nodded with a smile, "Of course." The tone of affection and honesty Keith used in his voice made tears threaten to fall from Katrina's eyes, she suddenly threw herself at Keith catching him a little by surprise but the black-haired American wrapped his arms around Katrina and used one to gently rub her back in a comforting matter while the other held Katrina close. He allowed Katrina to cry as much as she needed to.

The blue-haired girl cried, "Thank you, Keith."

Keith replied, "Your welcome, Katrina after all what are friends for?" She is soon sound asleep and Keith gently placed Katrina on her bed and rolled the covers on her. He gets in his own bed and turns off the lights to their assigned room. Keith closes his eyes to sleep, he too was concerned about that wolf hybrid puppy's well being but he doesn't allow it to interfere with his sleep.

A/N: Chapter 11 done. My first chapter of 2011! I've always wanted to add fortune telling in this story so I added it here.

It seems that Keith and Katrina are steadily getting closer to each other.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 12.

Vader 23A


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: End of the Lynx War

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Miles away from Collared, at a colony called Anatolia a NEXT pilot looks at the devastation the war is causing. The pilot was a young man around 24 years of age, stood at 6'5 in height, and had an athletic build, short red hair and blue eyes. His NEXT was a SUNSHINE-L, a smaller and lighter version of the original SUNSHINE with slightly increased mobility and more combat adaptability than the original model. The SUNSHINE-L has high AP and Shell Defense, allowing it to take a great deal of punishment. It was colored blue with a yellow eye and armed with 051-ANNR rifles that packed some impressive firepower, a missile launcher and an OGOTO grenade cannon.

Standing next to him was his operator. A beautiful young woman about a year younger than him, stood at 5'11, had gorgeous blonde hair that was in a bob cut style, brown eyes, had a strong and toned figure along with womanly curves that would catch any man's attention and a pale complexion to her silky smooth skin. One thing that separates this NEXT operator from the others was that she cared about the pilot as it was expressed in certain missions like when he faced a massive unknown weapon in the tunnels that lead to Anatolia and it would've ripped the colony to shreds if he hadn't stopped it. Eventually, they developed a romantic relationship. The pilot's name was Steven Kruger and his operator was Fiona Jarnerfeldt. Steven is also Anatolia's mercenary.

Fiona asked, "You ready for the final mission, love?"

Steven nodded, "Yeah, with its NEXTs defeated Rayleonard is on its last legs." They enter the briefing.

Fiona explained, "Here's the final mission. You are to destroy Rayleonard's floating fortress located in Northern Canada, Exavil. Exavil is a unique structure that's serving as the company's headquarters. If you destroy the pillars holding the building, which are spread out into a fan shape then it will lose support and come tumbling down. Even though Rayleonard's NEXTs are destroyed, Exavil will still be heavily guarded. Good luck." Steven boards his NEXT Blue Wolf and heads off for Northern Canada where his target awaited. When he reaches the place, he found out that Fiona was correct about the defenses. There were ships, helicopters and other weapons protecting it.

'It looks like they know that Rayleonard is close to collapsing.' Steven thought.

Fiona said, "Commence attack. Destroy Exavil and come home, I know you can do it. Please come back to me alive." Blue Wolf targets the ships first with its rifles the rounds pierce through the deck and ignite the ammunition depot which in turn triggered a mighty explosion that destroys the vessels turning its attention toward the MTs, Blue Wolf obliterates them with the OGOTO grenade cannon, once they were out of the way Steven targets Exavil. Gaining a lock-on he fires the grenade cannon at the pillars, disrupting its support. One by one the support columns were destroyed until all of them were gone.

Fiona exclaimed, "Explosion confirmed from within Exavil! It's starting to collapse in on itself get out of there now!" Steven retreats to a safe distance and watched as Rayleonard's HQ crumbled before him.

'The Lynx War is over now.' Steven thought. He returns to Anatolia and exits his NEXT to meet up with his operator.

Fiona explained with sadness, "Rayleonard has fallen, the Lynx War is over and the environment in shambles all because of selfish reasons. Sleep well, soldier. You deserve it." Fiona smiled after saying that, happy that her lover had returned in one piece.

Steve closed his eyes for a moment, "I sure will since I fought hard in this war. Why don't you get some rest too, Fiona? You look completely exhausted."

Fiona agreed, "You're right, Steven." Then she remembered something, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot take a look at this." She handed over a hand held computer.

He asked, "What's this?"

Fiona answered, "They're schematics for a massive Prototype NEXT named 00-Aretha. My father created this monster as the first generation Armored Core NEXT it shows design similarities to the Prototype NEXT and Rayleonard's 03-AALIYAH. It has a large-scale plasma cannon with high attack power, long-range and high velocity for this type of weapon on the left side. The right side is equipped with a quintuple Gatling gun capable of shredding AP and breaking Primal Armor. It also has a "Mega" Quick boost that allows it to move as a blur of red flames, almost as if it teleported from one side of the battlefield to the other so targeting the Aretha is nearly impossible. As a last resort weapon this monster has a prototype Assault Armor, while it lacks attack power it's made up for it with greater range. I dread to think what would happen if another corporation got their hands on the Aretha and unleashed its power upon a city." The computer is returned to her.

Steven caressed Fiona's face and kissed her. When their lips parted he said, "If that monster shows itself I will be there to defeat it. Anatolia is our home after all." Little do they know that a sinister plan was well underway Omer Science Technology deemed Steven Kruger a threat and preparations were underway to launch their newest weapon!

The next day, Kruger went out to do a recon mission and was returning to his colony just as the Sun was setting but upon arriving at Anatolia he is greeted with a terrible sight: Buildings were burning and people were running for their lives in the streets.

Steven exclaimed, "What the hell's going on?"

Fiona responded, "Anatolia is under attack!"

A voice said, "Hey. I guess there's no need for words." Steven knew that voice it belonged to Joshua O' Brian, his friend/rival and he was piloting the 00-Aretha. His battle instincts kick in and the two machines begin to battle. Blue Wolf locked onto the Aretha with its 051-ANNR rifles but they have little effect so Steven switches to the OGOTO grenade cannon and fires. A fireball forms from the impact and as the smoke cleared only minor damage was inflicted on the enemy Prototype NEXT. Aretha retaliates with its large scale plasma cannon a lock-on warning alerts Steven so Blue Wolf executed a quick boost to the right to get out of its line of fire because he knows that if that hits him, he's toast. Not even Blue Wolf can withstand firepower of that magnitude despite that Blue Wolf is a SUNSHINE-L model. O' Brian keeps his friend/rival on the ropes by firing the Gatling gun and the blue colored NEXT used its boosters to move around on the ground then quick boosted back when the Aretha used its Assault Armor.

Steven cried, "Damn, Fiona you weren't kidding that thing packs a mean punch. Joshua, why are you attacking Anatolia?"

O' Brian replied, "Because Omer Science Technology sees you as a threat and as such has ordered me to pilot this Prototype NEXT and attack your home colony." Another round from the plasma cannon is fired and it misses Blue Wolf by mere millimeters and instead destroys buildings inside Anatolia, slaughtering innocent people along the way. Steven watches and hears the people scream in horror as their lives are extinguished anger filled the young man and becomes merciless in his attacks on Aretha. A shell from Blue Wolf's OGOTO grenade cannon destroys Aretha's right arm and Gatling gun before switching to the missile launcher and unleashed a barrage of missiles at the abomination. Steven concentrates his attack on one spot. The young man activates the overed booster to ram into Rayleonard's nightmarish weapon before blasting away with the 051-ANNR rifles until Aretha used what was left of its right arm to throw Blue Wolf off and prepares to use its Assault Armor but couldn't get to because a hole in the core part is created, exposing the generator which is immediately targeted by the missile launcher. Eventually enough damage builds up to the point where the generator goes offline and the 00-Aretha went into a kneeling stance with smoke bellowing out. The barrels of Blue Wolf's rifles smoke from use.

Steven sighed, "Finally, this monster went down."

Joshua said, "So this is how it ends." Then he coughed, "This is for the best." The abomination explodes and Steven's black visor on his helmet shielded his eyes from the blinding light.

Fiona's voice came over the radio, "Hey, Steven can you hear me?"

The pilot of Blue Wolf answered, "Yes, I can. The 00-Aretha has been destroyed." He hears Fiona sigh in relief and Blue Wolf returned to base then its pilot exits the cockpit and rode down a lifting wire. After touching the floor Steven removes his helmet and Fiona immediately ran up and hugged him as if her life depended on it. Anatolia's mercenary returns the embrace. Together Steven and Fiona return to his home which was a nice looking house. The two sit down on the couch and watch the news, the main headline was 00-Athrea's attack on Anatolia and the casualty toll this attack had caused.

Fiona asked, "What happens now?"

Steven answered, "Tomorrow we are leaving Anatolia and live somewhere else, it might not keep us underneath the corporations' radar but it will at least make it difficult for them to locate us. I also plan on scrapping my NEXT to make it harder for Omer or any of those corporate bastards from tracing my ownership of Blue Wolf." Fiona is surprised that her lover already had a plan in mind.

She threw in her two cents, "I'll arrange for a private stealth airliner. That way nobody will know what our destination is." Most of the evening is spent packing their things once they were finished Jarnerfeldt cooked up a good meal which was steak, salad and curly French fries. Steven commented on how tasty the food was and a blush appeared on Fiona's cheeks and she smiled from the compliment on her cooking. That night they watched a movie before heading to bed. Steven sat on the bed he and Fiona shared wearing a pair of sweat pants and was looking at a picture of his parents until he hears Fiona walking in wearing only red panties. Steven admired how beautiful Fiona's body looked especially her chest where she had a pair of 36 C cup breasts, his operator and lover sat down next to him and looked at the picture before he placed it in a box and taped it shut. They get under the covers and Steven turned off the light on his nightstand, plunging the bedroom into darkness and he went to sleep. He feels Fiona coming up behind him wrapping an arm around his waist, resting her head on the base of his neck, wrapped a leg around one of his own and pressed her breasts into his back. The feeling of the soft orbs of flesh sent nice shivers down Steven's spine as Fiona slept as close to him as possible. He also inhaled her scent which smelled like roses. When he first saw the blonde sleep like this he asked why she slept almost completely nude and Fiona answered by honestly saying that she has slept like this ever since she could take care of herself and that it felt natural to her. The first few nights sleeping with Fiona like this was embarrassing to him but as they grew closer to one another he accepted it, in fact it felt nice to him. They sleep peacefully throughout the entire night. The Sun's rays of the next morning touch Steven's face, telling him to wake up he sat up and stretched then turns to look at the other occupant.

He shook his lover, "Hey, Fiona wake up. It's morning." He hears the beautiful blonde-haired operator moan as she groggily awoke, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and then sat up. The bed covers fall from her chest, revealing her breasts. Looking at Steven, she smiled lovingly at him before giving him a good morning kiss. They get out of bed and Steven retrieved the newspaper from his doormat and closed the front door. He went to the kitchen and sits at the table reading the main article while drinking a cup of coffee after setting 2 plates on the table along with napkins and a fork. Fiona walks in still in her red under garment and closed the blinds to the sliding back door to keep others from peering inside. She pulls out a frying pan and starts cooking some eggs along with bacon while she cooks, Fiona senses that Steven was looking at her toned back and couldn't help but smile.

She asked playfully, "Just what do you think you're doing, young man?"

Steven chuckled, "Just admiring how beautiful you look, dear." Though they aren't a married couple, they act like they are. Once the eggs and bacon were cooked to the proper amount, Fiona placed them on hers and Steven's plate she poured her own cup of coffee then sat down. They eat the breakfast with content. Once the dishes were clean and placed in the box where the other dishes are in, they take turns taking a shower before getting dressed and set out to do errands.

Steven purchased flight tickets with the Credits he's earned over the course of the Lynx War and sold his NEXT for scrap to a close friend he trusted, once that's done he erases all of his records from the corporations' main frame including his name. He tells a house selling company that his place was up for selling since he and Fiona will be living somewhere else. He kept the name of the place out of the conversation for secrecy sake.

Fiona finishes arranging for the flight they will be boarding and the two meet up at the colony's airport. Passing through a metal detection test and emptying their pockets for the scanner to see if there was anything the airport security deemed as suspicious. When they were in the clear, they refilled their pockets and grabbed their luggage bags and reach flight gate 56A. They show their tickets to the gate keeper and board the stealth airliner. Fiona sees that other NEXT pilots from Anatolia were on since they were thinking the same thing. Steven and Fiona reach their assigned seats and placed the luggage bags into the cabinet above them. They sit down and buckle up for the flight, the stealth airliner named Anatolia flight 435 lines itself up with the runway then waits for clearance. The pilots go through the take off checklist during this time. Seen from outside the jet was disguised as an American Airlines jet and had a transponder signature that the pilots used to keep their true destination away from unwanted flight control and gave its true ID signature only to air traffic they trusted.

A man in the control tower said, "Anatolia flight 435, you are clear for takeoff. Have a safe journey."

The main pilot answered, "Roger that, control tower." Both he and the co-pilot move the thrust lever forward up to throttle. The airliner moves down the runway slowly at first then faster and faster as it picks up speed.

The co-pilot kept track of the air speed, "We just passed V1, both engines operating normally and at full power. Passing V2 right now." The main pilot pulls the control stick back and in response the aircraft begins to climb.

He ordered, "Gear up." The co-pilot obeyed and pulls the lever up and the landing gear began to retract into their holders and the covers close and the flaps are pulled back. The aircraft continues to climb smoothly and soon reaches its cruising altitude of 35,000 feet as it begins its journey toward the destination. Steven and Fiona have some refreshments and food then sleep throughout half of the flight.

A/N: Chapter 12 done. This chapter is centered on the unnamed pilot of White Glint in ACFA he is also the guy you play as in Armored Core 4. I kind of described the relationship with his operator Fiona Jarnerfeldt.

I decided to do the last 2 missions in Armored Core 4. According to the Armored Core Wiki, in terms of timeline this ends the Lynx War and the events of AC4.

I was really tempted to do a lemon in this chapter but I chose not to in the end. I replaced it with a lime.

Read and review.

Stick around for 12.

Vader 23A


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Aftermath of the Lynx War

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Keith and Katrina wake up after a good-night's sleep and get ready for the day. After eating breakfast they head for the lounge while waiting word about the wolf hybrid puppy's surgery since the animal hospital it was taken to opens at around 10:00 a.m. and closes at 9:30 p.m. on week days. Katrina sits on the couch while Keith took a seat at nearby table to read the newspaper, the main article was talking about that the Lynx War had finally come to an end when Rayleonard's HQ Exavil was destroyed, resulting in the company's collapse. It also talked about the attack on Anatolia by a Prototype NEXT and that it was stopped by the same unknown NEXT pilot that sunk the Queens Lance.

'Anatolia, I haven't heard of a colony with that name. This mysterious Lynx that saved it means he is a highly skilled pilot I hope I get to meet him someday. If that day comes, I want him to tell me all about his adventures.' Keith thought with awe.

He then hears the lounge's phone ring and answered, "Hello, Keith Oswell speaking."

A voice on the other line said, "Keith, this is Alice from the animal hospital. I have good news for you. That wolf hybrid puppy you brought in yesterday underwent successful surgery and is recovering faster than we anticipated."

Keith smiled, "That is good news!"

Alice added, "We also happened to find out what type of wolf she is. It appears that she's an arctic timber wolf and is 14 weeks old."

Keith asked, "Is she allowed visitors?"

Alice replied, "Yes, visitors are allowed."

The black-haired American cried, "Great. We'll be over in a bit." He hangs the phone up and when he turned around, Katrina was standing there.

She asked eagerly, "Well?"

Keith smiled, "The wolf hybrid puppy is recovering from surgery, Katrina. We are going to visit her." Katrina's eyes seem to light up and she almost ran out of the base and toward the animal hospital, Keith had no trouble keeping up with her but Katrina needs to watch where she is running. She collides with a young man with short red hair and blue eyes; his blonde-haired, brown-eyed lover was with him. Katrina falls on her butt.

She groaned, "Ow!"

Keith sighed, "I told you to watch where you're going, Katrina." He helps her up and Katrina dusted herself off.

Katrina looked up at the man she ran into and apologized, "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't paying attention to what was in front of me."

The man smiled, "It is okay just be more careful next time."

Keith said, "My name is Keith Oswell and this is my friend Katrina."

He shook both of their hands, "Nice to meet you. I'm Steven Kruger and this lovely young lady next to me is Fiona Jarnerfeldt."

Fiona answered, "It's a pleasure. You two are NEXT pilots, aren't you?"

Katrina gasped, "How did you know?"

Fiona shrugged, "Steven and I have met quite a few before." Meanwhile, Steven was looking at Keith like he's studying him. He feels that Keith possesses unlimited potential and in time his skills could surpass Steven's. However, he hasn't seen Keith in action so he cannot know for certain until then. He can also see pain in Keith's deep blue eyes and at the same time respect for others he believes is worthy of having his respect. Steven's overall evaluation of Keith showed that the boy had a gentle heart, compassionate, tough when he needs to be and isn't one to judge needlessly.

Steven said, "Well, we need to be going now."

Keith asked, "Will we see you again?"

The redhead answered, "I don't know. I hope so, take care." Keith and Katrina watch as the two depart then head for the animal hospital to visit that wolf hybrid puppy. After making sure they are out of sight from suspicious eyes Steven and Fiona talk.

Fiona asked, "You were so quiet the whole time we talked. What were you doing looking at Keith?"

Steven answered, "Because I can see it in his eyes, Fiona. He has unlimited potential and possesses the skills needed to reach the top, hell he can become the greatest NEXT pilot in history. I know that soon we'll face each other in battle and when that does happen I will look forward to test his abilities."

Fiona wondered, "And how are you going to do that? You aren't a NEXT pilot anymore, remember?"

Steven chuckled, "I just got rid of Blue Wolf to erase the possibility of anyone tracing it back to me but whoever said that I was going to give up my license as a NEXT pilot, Fiona?" Keith and Katrina reach the front desk of the animal hospital and said that they wanted to visit the puppy Alice pointed them where the wolf hybrid puppy is and the two pilots thanked her. When they reached room 234, Keith opens the door and upon entering they see the puppy sitting on the operating table fully healed. Its tail was wagging from side to side to show that she's happy to see them. The tail wagging increased as Keith and Katrina come closer and then without warning, the wolf puppy jumped into Keith's arms and begins licking his cheek, Keith laughed from the show of affection.

The doctor said, "My, my, it looks like she has taken a liking to you." Keith stroked the animal's head with a smile before handing her to Katrina where the cute creature licked Katrina as well.

Keith asked, "How bad were the injuries, doctor?"

The man answered, "They weren't as bad as we first thought. The most serious injury she had was a nasty gash along its ribcage fortunately for us, the wound hadn't gotten infected. It required 31 stitches to close it. Our furry little friend here recovered really well and we kept her overnight for monitoring. The good news is that she is healthy enough to be released from here and ready for adoption."

Katrina looked at him with raised eyebrows, "Adoption?"

The doctor nodded, "Yeah, we don't want to risk of this happening again."

Katrina looked at the puppy, "How about it, little one? You want a caring family?" The puppy barked his answer and the blue-haired girl smiled sadly, "Unfortunately we can't adopt you because where we work at, you would cause havoc and get lost in."

The arctic timber wolf whined but Keith said, "However, we know a couple who I believe would love to adopt you. Hey, Katrina can you call your parents and tell them to come here?"

Katrina wondered, "Why? What do you have in mind?" Then it clicked in her head when she realized what Keith's planning. She places the puppy back on the table and asks for a phone when Katrina was told that there was a pay phone near the front desk, she slides a few quarters into the machine before picking up the phone and dialed home number. A few minutes pass before Selene picks up.

She said, "Hello?"

Her daughter cried, "Hi, mom it's me."

Selene gasped, "Katrina! Hi, dear. What's up?"

Katrina explained, "Keith and I found a puppy yesterday and it was injured. We took it to a hospital for surgery but now it's fully recovered and is ready for adoption if you and dad are interested." Katrina had to pull the phone away from her ear as her mother squealed in delight after hearing that.

Selene said, "Sorry about that, dear but yeah, we'll adopt the puppy. Where's the hospital?"

Her daughter informed, "On 36th Street."

Selene answered automatically, "I know the way there, Scott and I meet you at the front entrance. See you soon." Katrina hung up the phone and exhaled. She waits outside the front entrance to the animal hospital for her parents, in no time she spots their car turning up on the parking lot. Scott and Selene step out of it and lock the vehicle and Scott waved to his child then Katrina leads them to room 234 and opened the door. They see Keith playing with the puppy and Keith greeted Katrina's parents which they returned.

Katrina said, "Here's the wolf hybrid puppy I was talking to you about over the phone." Keith moves out of the way for Selene to see it.

Selene gasped, "She's beautiful and cute! What kind of wolf is she?"

The doctor answered, "She's an arctic timber wolf and is 14 weeks old."

Selene informed, "Scott and I always wanted a pet since we were kids and now we have the opportunity to have one. We promise to take good care of the puppy." Scott gently picks the canine up into his arms and Keith signed a release form for it. Katrina promises that she'll drop by her house soon, her parents bid farewell for now and take the wolf hybrid puppy to its new home. Along the way Selene named the puppy Juliet after the character from the play Romeo and Juliet written by the poet and playwright William Shakespeare. Keith and Katrina return to Collared and Keith said that he was taking his NEXT out for a free roam since the Lynx War was over. He ignites the main boosters and took to the sky and the surveyed the scenery before coming to a destroyed town and lands. Black Dragon starts walking down the damaged roads and Keith looked at the devastation he frowned sadly at the destruction this Lynx War has caused. Black Dragon's Primal Armor was disengaged since he wasn't doing missions and not to inflict further damage to the environment Keith feels nostalgic as he continues to wander the street. He zooms in on a destroyed plant pot Black Dragon held the dead plant in its massive hand.

'So this is what the result of waste produced by the fallout of Kojima particles.' Keith thought. A warning alarm blares in the cockpit as a lightweight NEXT appeared out of the sky and rapidly closes in on Black Dragon. Keith checked out the machine's schematics and it was only armed only with 07-Moonlight laser blades, no back unit weaponry. Keith concluded that this Armored Core was designed for close-range combat sacrificing defense and high AP for speed and agility the NEXT's AP was not very high, peaking at around 3,050. A few strikes from any of Black Dragon's weapons can take it down easily.

Black Dragon ignites its own 07-Moonlight and blocked the frontal attack as its opponent lands and generates a powerful gust of wind that blew debris in all directions, transforming the material into deadly projectiles. Black Dragon shoves the attacking NEXT away and the foe attempts a diagonal strike but again it's thwarted by Black Dragon's laser blade before it kicks the hostile into the street. The pilot's movement was uncoordinated and way too predictable even for Keith. Black Dragon walks up to its downed enemy and pointed the 07-Moonlight at the enemy unit's head as it made a low humming sound.

Keith said, "Your skills are sloppy and could use some major work I'd advise you to do more simulation training because as it stands your NEXT would be destroyed with just a few strikes from any of Black Dragon's weaponry."

The pilot roared, "Shut up!" The enemy NEXT accelerates forward and tries to cut Black Dragon's head off but that was stopped by a round from the WADOU grenade rifle and the hostile's AP is instantly cut in half but the pilot refuses to quit and attacks again. This time it gets hit by the 07-Moonlight and the AP goes to the red zone.

Keith said, "Go home, rookie. War's over." Black Dragon turns around and left the area. Fiona was exploring a town of America's capital when she and Serene Haze cross paths, brown and green eyes lock on to each other.

Serene said, "Hello, Fiona."

Fiona replied, "It's nice to see you again, Serene or should I say Kasumi Sumika?"

Serene stated plainly, "I don't go by that name anymore I changed it after I retired from being a NEXT pilot during the Lynx War."

Fiona went on, "It doesn't matter, Kasumi. Anyway what have you been up to as of late?"

Serene answered, "I've been the operator of Keith and Katrina throughout the final days of the Lynx War. They are both great pilots."

The redhead furthered, "What will you do now that the Lynx War is over, Kasumi?" The operator of Keith and Katrina stays quiet as she contemplates on that question.

Serene sighed, "I don't know at this point you know that this period of peace will not last forever and another war is bound to happen. I guess if that comes to pass then I will continue to be Keith and Katrina's operator to the bitter end."

Fiona chuckled, "Spoken like a true warrior. I must go now, I don't want any corporate faces recognize me." Serene understands what Fiona meant by that. She was one of few who know the real reason why Anatolia was attacked and Omer Science Technology refused to let the public know about their true intention. While half of their plan was successful the other half wasn't Steven defeated the 00-Aretha Prototype NEXT they stole from Rayleonard. The higher ups of that corporation were furious that Steven cheated death. Now that Fiona and her lover erased all records of them from the corporations' memory banks and Steven scrapped his NEXT, there was no chance of them knowing where the two would go. If someone saw these two, he or she would think that Serene and Fiona look like twins. The only thing that'd tell them apart is the eye color and personality.

Before anyone noticed, it was New Year's Eve. It seemed that the remaining months of 2004 moved by fast. Keith decides to celebrate it with Katrina and her parents, Juliet. They drank white grape flavored Sparkling Cider and watched a marathon of The Three Stooges until they changed the channel to watch the countdown and as the sphere begins its descent down the pole that held it.

Keith and Katrina did the countdown, "12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0!" Then fireworks begin to go off as they mark the beginning of a new year.

Selene kissed her husband, "Happy New Year, Scott."

Scott replied, "Happy New Year to you too, my beautiful wife." Katrina gave Keith a peck on the cheek and Keith blushed madly from it.

Keith gasped, "K-Katrina…"

Katrina blushed with a smile, "Happy New Year, Keith." While he wished his parents were alive for this important event, Keith is happy that he managed to celebrate New Year's Eve with Katrina and her family.

A/N: Chapter 13 complete. I was stumped on what to write here until this idea popped into my head.

The wolf hybrid puppy is adopted by Katrina's parents, I always find moments like that heartwarming. If there's one thing that I hate in this world, it's animal cruelty, abuse and neglect. It's not fair to any of those innocent animals that suffer at the hands of their handlers. It breaks my heart.

Let's see, what else? Oh yeah, Keith and Katrina had an encounter with Steven and Fiona. I'm not going to tell the reason why they're there because that would be spoiling the surprise. You'll just have to read on to find out.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 14.

Vader 23A


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Cradles

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The date is January 1, 2005 and Keith and the others were celebrating the first day new year. However, it would've been better if the environment wasn't in shambles left by the Lynx War and Kojima technology. Ever since the war ended, pollution on the planet's surface has been gradually getting worse and people demanded for measures to counteract this problem because the waste produced by the fallout of Kojima particles have been impacting the production of crops to the point where farmers had to plant them inside greenhouses with a glass dome to protect them from the fallout.

Keith and Katrina spend the whole day playing with Juliet, watching TV and such. They spend the night at Katrina's house then the next morning, they bid Scott and Selene farewell for now and promised Juliet that they'll come back to play with her when they can. The wolf hybrid puppy gave them a good-bye lick on their cheek before Keith pet the canine's head and kissed it before he and Katrina return to Collared. When Keith arrives at the hanger, he decides to do some target practice with his NEXT. He takes Black Dragon out onto a testing field where some decommissioned NEXTs stood stripped of weaponry. The OGOTO grenade cannon is selected and fired at the targets soon enough all 10 of them were destroyed Keith then heads to the briefing room. He sees a mission that was urgent.

He selected that mission and the briefing started. The client was GA America and the target was an Omer Science Technology military base where Omer was testing another 00-Aretha Prototype NEXT. If that machine goes into mass production then other colonies or major cities would suffer Anatolia's fate. His objective was to find the target and destroy it the client also wanted Keith to destroy the base and its defenses. Just in case Keith encounters heavy resistance during the mission, the client advises him to take Katrina and Canis with him.

'Another team mission with my friends.' Keith thought with a smile. He and his two partners head for the locker room and don their g-suits, gloves and boots and grab their helmets. They next proceed to board their Armored Cores and head to the target area.

Keith informed, "Alright, team here's the mission. Our primary target is the 00-Aretha Prototype NEXT that Omer Science Technology has completed and about to initiate its test run. Our secondary objective is the eradication of the base itself and all of the defenses."

Canis asked, "00-Aretha? Wasn't it that strange looking NEXT that attacked Anatolia?"

Katrina added, "Yeah, I read that Anatolia's mercenary destroyed it."

Keith replied, "It was. Anatolia's mercenary did defeat it but it appears that Omer had kept the schematics needed to build another of those things. We must ensure that this Prototype NEXT doesn't enter mass production!"

Canis shrugged, "Good enough for me."

Serene came through the radio, "Hey, guys I'm sending you a layout of the base's schematics. Looks like the defenses are heavier than our projections showed."

Katrina asked, "What's the plan, Keith?"

Keith lowered his head in thought before lifting it back up and informed, "I'd say we split into these positions. I'll descend into the testing ground from the air and destroy the 00-Aretha they're about to test. Katrina, you target the gun towers your HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon packs enough firepower to penetrate the gun towers' thick armor. Canis, the defense units are all yours."

At the said military base, spectators gather for the testing of the 00-Aretha. Unlike the first one which was colored a desert brown, this one was fiery red. A highly skilled pilot was behind the controls.

One guy asked, "Are you sure Brian knows what he is doing?"

The guy next to him nodded, "Of course. He's one of the most skilled pilots of this generation." The 00-Aretha begins its test run and everything ran smoothly and the cockpit opens up, allowing Brian to come out and gave the crowd a thumbs-up. The moment is shattered when the Aretha sent out an alert that a NEXT of unknown origin was approaching Brian looked in every direction but there was no sign of it, he failed to look up. A black figure emerges from the Sun and made its way down then its feet touch the ground. The spectators were flabbergasted by the appearance of this black colored NEXT. One guy with glasses asked the person next to him for his optic binoculars then zooms in on the machine's emblem.

He said, "Huh, 'Black Dragon?' What kind of name for an Armored Core is that?" Black Dragon turns to face its primary target and Brian returns to the cockpit, ready to do battle with it.

Brian said in a cocky tone, "Heh, you think you're some badass because of your NEXT? Newsflash for you, son I'm the top dog around here." He lights up the main boosters, "Here I come!" With that the 00-Aretha starts to approach Black Dragon head on.

Keith said, "Black Dragon commencing operation." When 00-Aretha raises the Gatling gun, Black Dragon slices the right arm off with the 07-Moonlight laser blade much to everyone's shock.

Brian's mouth fell open before he growled, "You bastard! Do you know who I am?"

He attempts to hit the black Armored Core with the large-scale plasma cannon but Black Dragon dodged before slicing off the Aretha's other arm and legs then finishes it with the WADOU grenade rifle as if Keith was saying, "I don't give a fuck who you are, you were my target and I just took you down." The enemy Prototype NEXT explodes and shards of metal fly everywhere but an invisible force field protects the spectators. Black Dragon next heads to the hanger area to destroy the base itself, a round from the OGOTO grenade cannon obliterates a group of hangers with ease then Keith feels the cockpit shake as shells impact his NEXT. He turns his machine around and saw that military tanks were attacking him upon doing a scan Keith discovers that these tanks are fitted with shells that can break through Primal Armor. However, these shells are still only in the experimental stage so little to no physical damage is inflicted on Black Dragon's body. Keith retaliates by firing the grenade cannon at them once they were out of the way he continues the mission.

Outside of the base's front entrance Red Angel stands from a safe distance, out of the gun towers' firing range. The HLC09-ACRUX is locked and loaded soon the lock-on symbol turns red, telling Katrina that the target's locked. For this mission Katrina replaced the INBLUE FCS with the 061AN05 which has the longest radar range out of the others. The blue-haired girl pulls the trigger and a beam of energy emerges from the barrel and screams through the air at supersonic speeds. The men inside one of the gun towers see the beam coming their way and scream when the beam hits and the structure explodes to bits, Katrina then targeted its twin. With the main defense gone Katrina waits for further instructions from Keith.

Canis was busy tearing the defense units to pieces. A squadron of fighter jets fire missiles at Savage Beast but the NEXT releases flares from the YASMIN shoulder unit before firing back with AR-O700 assault rifle then a Normal had the audacity to use its bazooka on the desert yellow, black striped Armored Core. Savage Beast quickly whips around and blew a hole in the enemy machine's core part with the LR-04 AVIOR laser rifle before the Normal falls back and exploded.

'That's what you get for attacking me, tin can!' Canis thought. A blizzard suddenly passes through the mission area reducing visibility to nearly zero. Keith, Katrina and Canis switch to thermal vision to help them see through the storm. Katrina sees a group of Normals advancing toward her, using the blizzard as cover. A grin appeared on her face as the thought of them attempting to do a surprise attack passed through Katrina's mind. She locks onto them and then unleashed her HLC09-ACRUX's power on them and watched with satisfaction as the targets are vanquished one by one.

Keith said, "This blizzard wasn't in the forecast."

Canis answered, "Weather's unpredictable, Keith. This is Mother Nature's way of keeping us in the dark about she is going to do next." After what seems forever, the blizzard lets up and visibility becomes clear again. The three NEXTs meet up in a forest clearing after destroying the base and 00-Aretha Prototype NEXT. Without warning a giant MT comes out of nowhere and blocked their path. Keith and his consort stand there with a look of surprise, wondering how the enemy managed to conceal something that huge and that was when Keith noticed that this monster has Kojima cannons mounted on its back, the strongest energy weapon in existence. If that beam hits then they're pretty much toast.

Katrina asked, "Why is it just hovering there? What's it waiting for, we are well within range of its weapons."

Canis declared, "This stare down is boring me, let's just take this hunk of junk out and go home we completed the mission." The main boosters of Savage Beast fire up and Canis launches his attack. Suddenly the MT's eye glow a bright orange.

Keith called out, "Canis wait!" His warning comes too late as Savage Beast's left arm is blown off from a round of the Kojima cannons, Katrina used Red Angel's overed booster to quickly move in, grab the severed arm and move away before she can get locked onto.

Katrina scolded, "Canis, you're so reckless sometimes. You are just lucky that it was your NEXT's arm that got blown off, had you not seen that beam charging up you wouldn't be here right now!" The dirty blonde-haired boy said nothing while Keith sighs, the last thing he needs is for his team mates to be arguing while their lives could end right now.

Keith told them, "That's enough, both of you! We got an enemy to defeat here! I'm not going to let my comrades die out here." Katrina and Canis look at Keith though monitors and can tell by the tone in his voice he was serious.

A round from the WADOU grenade rifle strikes the MT in the chest but no damage was inflicted. Katrina tried with the high laser cannon but once again no damage became apparent, a third attempt is made by Canis with the same result. The MT retaliates with the Kojima cannons the Primal Armor of Red Angel barely held together as that attack took a huge chunk out of Red Angel's AP. Savage Beast takes to the sky and attempted to fire at point blank range only to have it get swat away by one of the MT's massive hands, Savage Beast crashes violently to the ground a huge crater forms from the impact. Electricity arced all over the NEXT's body as Canis struggled to get his machine up again.

Canis said, "Man, I never felt an impact like that in my life." He moves the control sticks but finds out that everything was frozen as a result of the impact. He immediately starts working on getting systems online again if he wants to survive. Keith and Katrina dodge round after round of missiles from the giant MT and to make their situation, they aren't given the chance to gain a lock-on for their WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launchers. They start brainstorming of what to do next when a missile warning brings them out of it and on the move once more. The two pilots hide behind a big hill.

A voice said, "It looks like you two could use some help." The voice was feminine.

Keith asked, "Who said that?" A LAYHIRE type Armored Core comes into his view before stopping in front of him. It was golden yellow in color, had 2 booster extension units that enhanced its mobility to avoid enemy fire and its weaponry consisted of a laser blade and shotgun, making it effective for close-range combat. The pilot's helmet covered face appeared on the monitor in Black Dragon's cockpit.

She lifts the black visor and introduced herself, "Greetings, young pilot. My name is Risaia, rank 12 in Collared and pilot of Ruler."

Keith replied, "My name is Keith Oswell, rank 30 and pilot of Black Dragon."

Risaia cried, "Ah, the son of Ryan and Serena Oswell. It's nice to finally meet you." The three move as the MT's Kojima cannons are fired on them, a huge column of dirt and snow flies into the air before settling on the ground.

Katrina stated, "Let's try a combination attack." Black Dragon and Red Angel unleash a payload of their WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launchers at the behemoth along with their support missiles and this time, minor damage is inflicted. Risaia ascends into the air and targeted the Kojima cannons with her NEXT's shotgun; at close proximity the weapon was lethal since all of the shots were concentrated in one place. The MT releases missiles but Ruler used its high agility to quickly evade the incoming projectiles and destroys any remaining ones still following her. Risaia spots Black Dragon aiming for the giant's head the black Armored Core creates a hole in the center of the face and places both of its hands into both sides. The NEXT rips the MT's face in two, blinding the machine. Red Angel enters the fray and all three machines draw their laser blades. Risaia positions itself behind the giant MT's back while Black Dragon and Red Angel remain the in the front. Canis manages to restore his machine's systems and aims both the AR-O700 assault and LR-04 AVIOR laser rifle at the sides.

Keith said, "You're not needed here, MT. The world doesn't machines like you. Be gone!" Canis starts off the attack by unloading rounds from both of its primary weapons, tearing a hole in the target's armor. It started off small but rapidly grew in size until it became a huge gaping hole.

Ruler, Red Angel and Black Dragon raise their laser blades up and started slicing vertically downward, a red-hot line forms then they reach empty air and the all of the pilots pull back as they watch the halved MT plummets to the ground. Occasional small explosions were visible until the behemoth is vaporized by a mighty explosion that could be seen from miles away. The black visors shield the pilots' eyes from the intense light.

Serene informed, "Confirmed all targets destroyed, mission complete. You guys are really learning how to pilot those things, huh?" Their victory is short-lived when the HMD in Keith's helmet detects 2 new enemy signatures and upon zooming it on them, he discovered that they're enemy NEXTs.

Keith cried, "Hey guys, I know how much fun this celebration is but we've got company 2 enemy Armored Cores approaching from the North."

Serene sighed in annoyance, "Jesus Christ, can't we get a break? You guys just got done defeating an MT!"

Keith suggested, "I think retreat is the best option right now."

Katrina nodded, "I agree."

Risaia added, "I'm with Keith on this one."

Canis exclaimed, "You're kidding! Why are we retreating?"

Keith explained, "This isn't about pride, Canis. It's about living to fight another day and besides who knows how much ammo we have for our ranged weapons. Adding to the fact that your NEXT's left arm is not attached to the rest of its body reinforces my decision. Let's go." The 4 Armored Cores leave in time before their unwanted visitors arrive.

One was a four-legged heavy with a purple color scheme, a green eye, a Gatling gun for both arm units, a vertical missile launcher and slug cannon.

Its companion was a reverse-legged heavy model with a camouflage color scheme, sky blue eyes, grenade launcher arms, a rocket launcher and Gatling cannon.

The first female pilot said, "Looks like the targets have left the area."

Her partner asked, "What do you think, big sister? Should we go after them, Brianna?"

Brianna answered, "No, my sweet little sister Rebecca. Besides they took down a giant MT. That's enough proof to show that these are no ordinary NEXT pilots. We'll meet them again I'm sure of it." Risaia escorts Keith, Katrina and Canis back to Collared. Savage Beast is taken to the hanger for repairs then the pilots disembark from their cockpits. Keith, Katrina and Canis all wash up and change to normal clothes. While on their way to the lounge, they meet up with Risaia.

Risaia was about 18 years old, had a nice body, long auburn hair tied in a ponytail, stood at around 5'7 and had amber eyes.

Risaia managed to take in Keith's appearance. He had medium-length black hair that stopped above his ears, deep blue eyes and mild tanned skin. Even though concealed by his attire, Risaia could tell that Keith had a toned body. An image of him around her age appeared in her head and she felt cheeks light up then quickly got rid of it.

Katrina smiled, "Thank you for coming to our rescue, Risaia. I thought we were done for if you didn't show up."

Risaia waved it off, "No problem, Katrina just glad to help out a fellow Lynx."

Keith asked, "You two know each other?"

The blue-haired girl nodded, "Yeah. Risaia and I registered at the same time. I believe she was 15 back then." Katrina notices that Canis was standing next to her with his eyes and arms crossed over his chest.

Canis felt Katrina nudge him and forced a smile, "I appreciate the assistance you gave us." He added silently, "Though we didn't need your help." While Katrina or Risaia didn't hear it, Keith did.

He bonked Canis on the head, "Is now really the time to be saying that? You'd be taking a big dirt nap right now if Ms. Risaia here didn't show up when she did, Canis. Show some gratitude!"

Risaia smiled, "You know, Katrina I must say Keith is cute. I believe he can be the greatest NEXT pilot history has ever known." Keith's cheeks turned a shade of crimson red when Risaia said that. Of course, he wished the public thought the same way about him since he knows that there are members of the murdered families that want his head. He needed to change how they view him but the question was how. The pair reached the lounge and sat on the couch there and watched TV they hear a representative of GA America doing a speech.

He said, "The Lynx War has taken its toll on the environment and still does. It will continue to get worse unless measures are taken so therefore the corporations have decided to co-operate and pool all of their resources in the construction of a system that will be a counter to the increasing pollution on the planet's surface. This system is called the Cradles System. A series of massive floating platforms named Cradles will act as cities in the sky. Each set can hold up to 20 million people per unit this will give the residents the opportunity to breath clean air and a chance to forget the horrors of the Lynx War. The first set of Cradles will begin their trial operations in 2 months. I'm looking forward to seeing this as a way for the people to heal their wounds the Lynx War inflicted on them. Thank you." The audience starts applauding while Keith didn't.

'A counter measure against Kojima pollution, ha! This Cradles System won't be a permanent solution. No way am I going to live in the sky because my parents lived on the surface throughout their lives and I intend to do the same.' Keith thought.

A/N: Chapter 14 done. I downloaded the PS1 classic game Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, the very first installment in the game series from the Playstation Store on my PS3. I decided to take a break from this to play it since Blood Omen is the only game in the Legacy of Kain series I haven't played. It was a pain and hard at times but I finally beat it.

Risaia came to Keith, Katrina and Canis' rescue. Now even Risaia says that Keith can become the greatest NEXT pilot history has ever seen. Well, the winds of change are coming.

Read and review.

Stick around chapter 15.

Vader 23A


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Cradles' Trial Operation

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

It was February 14 with seasonal temperatures around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Today's also Valentine's Day and that meant happy couples can spend the whole day doing whatever they want, including the NEXT pilots much to their relief. Keith and Katrina put a coat on before heading out, sometime later they cross paths with the people who hurt Juliet. The leader had a smirk on his face. All of them appear to be 14 years old.

He said, "I see that you two have managed to heal the wolf hybrid puppy that my boys and I beat up."

Keith popped his knuckles, "That was totally uncalled for and cruel. Whatever did Juliet do to deserve the beating you guys gave her? Tell me while you still have teeth in your mouths." Katrina shivered at the dark tone in Keith's voice.

The thug leader answered, "I just don't like wolf puppies."

Keith exclaimed, "What? You committed such a cruel act all because of something so small? If there's one thing that I hate in this world, it's animal cruelty!"

The thug taunted, "What are you going to do about it, boy? Have us arrested?"

Keith replied in the same dark tone, "You're half right but first I'm going to beat you jerks up so badly, you'll beg for mercy but I assure you that you won't receive any from me." He got into a karate-like stance, "Brace yourselves. Katrina, I'd strongly advise you close your eyes because this will be bloody."

Keith hands Katrina his jacket then runs forward at full speed and threw a powerful punch that sends the thug leader into a pile of trash bags then the others attack, weapons like knives in hand. Keith dodges left and right before countering with a round house kick that sends one of the goons to the ground face first quickly switching targets, the black-haired kid grabbed another thug's head and drives his knees into the foe's face, each impact was accompanied by a thud. Keith threw him across the alley before ducking as a long steel pipe collides with a brick wall, Keith whipped around and kicks the opponent who was attempting to crack Keith's skull with the metal object in the groin. The thug howls in pain and went to his knees, clutching his privates. Picking up the steel pipe Keith swings it across the fool's face breaking his jaw in the process. The heartless gangster spirals through the air before crashing into a pile of wooden boxes shattering them upon them.

'Incredible, even though it's 6 on 1 Keith is holding his own against them my training is paying off. Keith, you're amazing!' Katrina thought with awe as she looked on.

Keith counted up the downed opponents, "One, two, three, four, five, where's the sixth?" His suddenly hears a battle cry and dropped to avoid a stab strike from the last thug's retractable knife. Using his hands as leverage, Keith drives his foot into the attacker's chest then followed it up with a spear. The thug rolled out of the way in time as Keith's foot hits the pavement.

'He avoided my knife! What's he got eyes in the back of his head?' He thought.

Keith explained, "Your battle cry is what alerted me to your presence. To be successful in a stealth kill, you need to avoid making any noises that would alert your prey. You broke that simple rule."

His foe stood up, "How can this be? We're supposed to have the numbers advantage over you and we're also bigger than you!"

Keith answered, "Thugs like you like to pick on weaklings in order for them to give you money or anything else considered valuable by the owner. However, when someone stands up to you, your tactics become useless. I've faced people a lot more ruthless than you."

The thug cried in anger, "You little brat!" He runs forward but Keith stopped him with an elbow to the gut and the thug doubled over in pain, wasting no time Keith delivers an upper cut as the finishing blow. The thugs all moan in agony while Keith stands as the victor. He walks over to Katrina where she automatically hands Keith his jacket, which he immediately puts back on. The two leave the alley as cops show up where the fight happened.

Katrina complimented, "Keith that was amazing back there. You defeated those thugs like they were nothing."

Keith smiled, "Those fools got what they deserved do you think that I would let them go unscathed? After what they did to Juliet, I don't think so. Now they are going to be serving time behind bars. That'll teach them not to harm innocent animals." Katrina giggled when Keith said that she liked him more and more with each passing day and since today is Valentine's Day, Katrina wondered what to get him as a present. Likewise, Keith was thinking the same thing. They part ways for a while and used this opportunity to look for a Valentine's Day present for one another.

Keith entered a shop that sold all kinds of stuff, he patiently looks at the stuff that's on sale until his eyes are focused on a polished wooden box and asked the worker if he could take a better look at it, the man nodded and opened the glass container. Placing the small box onto the glass surface Keith observed it, he opens it and a beautiful melody began to play. Keith was highly confident that Katrina will like this and paid the amount of money, which was around 1,500 Credits. Keith asked if the box could be wrapped up and the worker said that he could, once it was finished being wrapped, the black-haired American thanks him and Keith left the store. Walking down the sidewalk, Keith observes as couples enjoy Valentine's Day by going to see a movie, going to a park, eat out or simply talk. Keith sees a couple sitting on a bench kissing.

A man walked past them and said, "Go get a room, you two!" Keith laughed with a smile on his face seeing the love those two showed for each other, he shakes his head before he continued walking. He soon reaches a music store and heard a song beginning to play through the speakers, the name of the song was called Garnet Moon. The song was pretty cool in Keith's opinion and he briefly wonders how Katrina's voice would sound like if she sang.

'Only time will tell.' He thought. Immediately after the song ends, Keith got up and left he meets up with Katrina at a bus stop. They return to Collared at 4:00 p.m. and Keith was about to give Katrina his Valentine gift until he was ordered to come to the briefing room for an urgent assignment so Keith placed the music box in the top slot of his dresser then proceeds to the briefing room, g-suit and all.

The briefing began, "Here's the mission. The client is Omer Science Technology. Your mission will be to escort a group of transport trucks to a research and development facility, the trucks are carrying vital supplies to begin constructing the Cradles. The transports are unarmored and high profiled targets for enemy attacks so Omer has decided to have you co-operate with Otsdarva for this mission. He's already been informed of the operation. Briefing over this is a crucial mission since the public is getting impatient for us corporations to build the Cradles so please, don't screw up." Keith gets up, grabbed his helmet and heads for the hanger. Along the way he meets up with the man who is going to be his partner for the escort mission.

Keith said, "Just a warning for you, Otsdarva I was ordered to co-operate by the client not by choice. If I was allowed to pick my partner I would choose one of the other pilots like Katrina or Roy Saaland. You get in my way or we fail this mission and I will make you regret it." The black-haired boy walks ahead of Otsdarva who watched Keith continue walking toward the hanger, the young man had the feeling that Keith doesn't like him and Otsdarva isn't surprised. There are NEXT pilots at Collared who despise him because of his arrogance or just didn't like him period. He shoves the thought to the back of his head and entered the hanger a few minutes after Keith does.

Climbing into the cockpit Keith puts his helmet on then proceeds to power up Black Dragon, the Armored Core's red eyes light up before both Black Dragon and Stasis head out for the mission. Sometime later they meet up with the Omer Science Technology transport trucks and commence the escort mission. The two keep up with the vehicles with ease while at the time Keith looked at a monitor showing Stasis to him without letting Otsdarva know. This man's arrogance and disrespect irked Keith to the point where Keith wants to crush that smug attitude of his, another fact is that the 7 year old American was getting tired of his rank 30 position. He wants to be acknowledged by the other Lynx, even those older than him. An alarm brings Keith out of his thoughts.

Serene said, "Warning! We have 2 high-speed bogeys inbound enemy NEXTs?"

Keith replied, "Must be the same ones who came after Katrina, Canis, Risaia and I left on the previous mission to destroy the second 00-Aretha Prototype NEXT. They must be here for the transport trucks."

Serene informed, "Identification complete. Enemy NEXT Violet and Inferno confirmed." The said Armored Cores land in front of them and the transport trucks stop, Black Dragon and Stasis appear in preparation to guard them from enemy attack.

Rebecca said, "Look big sister! It's that black NEXT from 2 days ago!"

Brianna nodded, "Indeed, that's Black Dragon alright. And I see that his partner is the rank 1 Lynx Otsdarva."

Rebecca asked her older sibling, "What's the plan?"

Brianna smiled, "It's obvious, little sister. We'll defeat those two NEXTs then the transport trucks will be easy pickings." Violet and Inferno both arm their primary weapons, which were the Gatling guns and grenade launcher arms.

The barrel to Black Dragon's WADOU grenade rifle extends as Keith and Otsdarva prepare for battle.

Keith said, "Let's do this. Otsdarva, I'll take Violet you deal with Inferno."

Otsdarva looked at Black Dragon, "Wait just one minute, Keith who gave you the authority to order me around? I'll face whoever I want you are not the boss of me, Keith."

Keith fired back, "We need to work together, Otsdarva! In case you don't know, both of these enemy Armored Core have higher AP than Stasis and pack more firepower. A single hit from Inferno's grenade launchers would most likely blow your NEXT to kingdom come." Brianna and Rebecca do a mental sweat drop as they watch their targets' escorts argue.

Otsdarva exclaimed, "I'm the rank 1 Lynx for crying out loud! I don't need your help in defeating these fools I can take both of them myself!"

Keith growled, "Grr, fine! Do what you want, asshole! Nobody's going to mourn for you if you die on this battlefield!"

Rebecca commented, "Those two don't seem to get along huh, sister?"

Brianna nodded, "Indeed so." Black Dragon targets Inferno while Stasis went for Violet.

Keith said, "Let us fight with honor." Violet readies its vertical missile launcher and upon achieving a 5 lock-on max, the missiles are fired. They climb upward then head for Black Dragon but the Armored Core avoided them with ease before retaliating with the WADOU grenade rifle. Violet fires its Gatling guns to shoot down the shell and it exploded, obscuring them from view. Taking advantage of the smoke, Black Dragon tackles Violet to ground before pointing its OGOTO grenade cannon at the target. Instantly recognizing that Keith was planning on ending her life quickly, Brianna boosted away before the grenade cannon could be fired. Violet fires the Gatling guns at Black Dragon but Black Dragon quick boosts to the right then did a round house kick to the enemy NEXT's head. Soon the left Gatling gun is depleted of ammunition so Brianna jettisoned it and then a laser blade stored in the arm takes the gun's place. The close-range weapon ignites and Black Dragon activates the 07-Moonlight and the two fighters stare at one another as a gust of wind blows through.

Rebecca was having a hard time gaining a lock on Stasis since the blue NEXT kept quick boosting away every time Otsdarva receives a lock-on warning, when he broke it he retaliates by launching missiles from the MP-O901 missile launcher, the projectiles were hard to shake off. They hit Inferno but only moderate damage was inflicted since Inferno was in the heavyweight class. Rushing forward, the camouflage colored machine used its Assault Armor on Stasis taking a huge chunk out of the enemy's AP. However, the drawback with using Assault Armor it leaves the user's Primal Armor temporarily disabled. The best course of action would be to retreat to a safe distance and wait until the Primal Armor is fully restored. Rebecca follows this procedure and retreated well out of range of any of Stasis' weapons. Her Armored Core's Primal Armor fully restores itself in time as she saw Stasis approaching her at high speed Violet aimed its grenade launcher arms at Stasis and fires but the blue machine quick boosts to the right. Suddenly, Rebecca felt that her older sister is in danger and needs to head to her aid. She violently swings Inferno's grenade launcher arms into Stasis' chest, knocking it off its feet allowing Rebecca enough time to activate her unit's overed booster to head for Brianna's location.

Black Dragon grinds Violet's face against the street paint came off then Violet is thrown through a building creating a huge gaping hole. The purple four-legged Armored Core slowly rose back up its AP was in the red zone and one hit from Black Dragon's Assault Armor and Brianna's done for. She suddenly screamed as Violet rams into Black Dragon and straddled it.

'What? The pilot is a little girl?' Keith thought in wonderment. Snapping out of his moment of surprise, Keith focused on the fight. Black Dragon punches Violet off and rose to its feet, refusing to lose Violet launches itself into the air but is shot down by the WADOU grenade rifle. Brianna screamed as her unit crashes to the ground with its AP down to zero, she looked up in time to see Black Dragon pointing the grenade rifle at the core part. Brianna's eyes widen in sheer horror and sweat began to roll down her face as she stared down the barrel. Keith's helmet covered face appears on a monitor so he could get a better look at Brianna's face. She was pretty with short brown hair, blue eyes and a pretty face. From the looks of it, she was possibly a few years older than Keith. Brianna still has the look of horror on her face until she heard her younger sister.

She yelled, "Sister!" Black Dragon pulls back in time as Inferno came between Violet and Black Dragon but the grenade rifle is still pointed forward.

Brianna said, "Rebecca."

Rebecca glared at Keith, "You'll have to go through me if you want to kill my dear sister." Rebecca then notices that Keith seemed to be hesitating from pulling the trigger. Besides from never laying harm to innocent people Keith promised to never kill pilots unless they truly deserved it. Seeing Rebecca standing in front of her older sister protectively made Keith reconsider his decision until ultimately he realized that he couldn't do it.

Brianna asked, "What's he doing?"

Rebecca answered, "I think he's having second thoughts." They see Stasis land next to Black Dragon and Otsdarva's face appeared on a monitor in Black Dragon's cockpit.

Otsdarva said, "Keith, what are you waiting for? Finish them off! You have them right where you want them!" The enemy pilots now knew the pilot of Black Dragon's name.

Rebecca pleaded, "Please, Keith spare us we won't be enemies anymore if you let us live!"

Otsdarva told Keith, "Don't listen to them they're just trying to mess with your head. If you don't fire now then they will take advantage of you."

Brianna pleaded as well, "Please, Keith! Don't do it! If we meet again when you are not on a mission, we can become friends!"

Keith said, "Friends?"

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, we can."

The pilot of Stasis said, "Shoot, Keith!"

Keith holds his head as he screamed, "SHUT UP!"

Otsdarva said, "Fine, I'll do it myself!" Stasis points its energy rifle at the enemy pair but Inferno fires its grenade launcher arms taking another chunk of Stasis' AP away and knocking it down at the same time. Keith finally came to a decision. Rebecca and Brianna sigh in relief as they saw the barrel of the WADOU grenade rifle retract and the right arm lowering.

Keith cried, "Go on leave this place."

Rebecca said happily, "Thank you, Keith!" Both Violet and Inferno use their overed boosters to leave the combat area while Stasis stood in front of Black Dragon then Otsdarva begin chewing Keith out until the black-haired American had enough and Black Dragon punched the nuisance to the ground.

Keith stated in both annoyance and anger, "It'd be best if you just shut the hell up, Otsdarva." Throughout the rest of the escort mission both pilots don't exchange words which suited Keith just fine since he couldn't stand hearing that man's voice. Finally, the transport trucks reach the R&D facility.

Serene informed, "Confirmed all of the transport have reached the facility safely mission complete."

The driver of the trucks said, "We made it in one piece. Thanks for the escort, pilots. Now we can get the construction of the Cradles underway." Keith and Otsdarva return to Collared and upon receiving their shares of the reward Credits both of them go their separate ways not wanting to be near each other. After eating a late dinner, Keith enters his and Katrina's assigned room to see Katrina already asleep. His eyes went to his dresser, knowing that his Valentine's Day present is in there. Immediately after showering and donning his pajamas, Keith goes to his dresser and opened it to retrieve the music box then shuts the drawer. He places his present onto Katrina's nightstand where she could see it the next morning he also spots Katrina's gift he quietly reaches over and snatched it. Opening it, Keith finds it to be an iPod where he can download songs onto it. A smile donned his face before climbing into bed and shuts the lights off. The next morning, Keith woke up and stretched he also sees Katrina waking up, she had bed hair but then he noticed that it was longer than before it reached the top of her shoulder blades. She got out of bed and entered the bathroom to shower. Once she was done, she exited the bathroom and returns to the room in nothing but a towel. Keith turns around so that his back was to her as Katrina changed clothes.

Keith asked, "Had a nice sleep last night, Katrina?"

Katrina mumbled, "Huh?" She was still a little groggy from waking up but when she removes the sleep from her eyes and focused, Keith was sitting there looking at her, "Keith! When did you get back?"

Keith said, "Just last night. Look at your nightstand, Katrina." Katrina looks to where Keith was pointing and spotted a present.

Keith told her, "Open it." A smile was on his face as Katrina opens the present, upon completing the task she discovered that it was a polished music box colored white trimmed with gold and a ruby rested in the center. Katrina opens the box and the melody played.

Katrina cried happily, "Keith, it's beautiful!"

Keith said, "I was planning on giving it to you yesterday when we came back here but a crucial mission came up and so I had to wait until I completed it to give it to you. When I completed the mission and returned to our room you were already sound asleep so I placed it on your nightstand. Happy late Valentine's Day, Katrina."

Katrina looked at her friend, "Keith…" She stares into Keith's eyes and saw affection in them she was touched by it. Katrina went over and hugged her friend and thanked him for the present.

The black-haired boy returned it, "I also opened the present you got me. Thanks for the iPod, Katrina I love it." This made Katrina hug Keith him even more, they stayed like that for a while until a rumbling from Keith's stomach forces them to separate and Keith rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

Katrina smiled, "Come on, let's get some breakfast." They walk to the cafeteria side by side and ate breakfast. Once they're finished with that and brush their teeth Keith and Katrina head to the lounge to watch the trial operations of Cradle 01, which was recently completed thanks to the materials those Omer Science Technology transport trucks brought. The structure was massive and colored a blue-gray. The trial operations proceed smoothly with no abnormalities then images of an Arteria facility are shown. It turns out that this facility is what will provide power to the Cradles. Once the trial operations were finished, Keith heads outside of Collared to look at the horizon buildings and vegetation was all he could see. He remembers the disrespect and insults Otsdarva has thrown at him and Keith decides it's time to teach Otsdarva a lesson in respect towards others. He knows just the way to do it, too.

A/N: Chapter 15 done. Keith gets retribution on the people that hurt the wolf hybrid puppy Juliet and gave Katrina a Valentine's Day gift.

Keith spares two enemy pilots. I wanted to show that Keith has a heart and made a code of sorts. Meaning he won't kill indiscriminately including not laying harm on innocent people or kill an enemy pilot unless they truly deserve it or is part of the mission.

The first set of Cradles is introduced here. Looks like Keith has had it with Otsdarva and his arrogance.

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Stick around for chapter 16. Just a little heads up, it might be a lengthy one.

Vader 23A


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The New Rank 1 Lynx

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Spring came and gone with severe storms and tornadoes but now the hot days of summer have come. That means hitting the beach, soaking up some rays and having a good time. At least that's what the inhabitants on the Earth's surface are doing while others choose to live in the Cradles 7,000 meters in the sky, where they breath clean air. The first set of these massive floating platforms have passed trial operations and officially entered service. However, more Cradles need to be built to accommodate additional people who want to live in the clean air, others chose to remain on the surface since that is like their sacred place they have lived in since birth and Keith was no different. His parents resided here so why shouldn't he? It's not like someone is telling him how to live his life.

Keith was about to do another mission. It had a 2 star rating indicating that the upcoming assignment is easy and won't require a partner.

He entered the briefing room to hear the details, "Okay, here's the mission Keith. The client is GA America we are requesting the elimination of an informer. The target is an employee who has been selling highly classified information to other corporations this act of treason will not be tolerated. Through surveillance we've learned that he will be meeting with representatives from Algebra today at an old cornfield in Kansas City that will be your chance to strike. Your target is just the vehicle that the traitor is on ignore the Algebra forces if you want, we want to send them a clear message that we won't allow such treason go unnoticed. That's all. In other words, Keith this is an assassination mission. This assignment should not a big deal for someone like you." Keith got up and hops into his Armored Core to do his assignment, the main boosters light up and the machine takes off. Throughout the whole trip, Keith remained quiet as he types in the coordinates and activates the autopilot to take him there. During that time his mind was on Otsdarva that fool hasn't shown Keith any ounce of respect since he first became a NEXT pilot last year. Well, Keith is going to change that soon.

He arrives at the mission area and disengages the autopilot to bring his machine to a soft landing just a few miles away from his objective.

Keith said, "Black Dragon here, commencing mission." The main boosters light up again and Keith begins heading toward his target. Up ahead of him was the traitor meeting up with Algebra Normals just like GA America predicted.

One pilot said, "What the, I'm picking something up on my radar! It's a NEXT!"

The traitorous GA employee cried, "A NEXT? Goddamn it, GA America found out!" He starts up the engine then made a run for it he knows that he's crossed a line he shouldn't have and GA America has sent a Lynx to assassinate him.

The Normal pilot ordered, "All units, focus fire on the NEXT. Make sure our contact is protected!" Suddenly an orange sphere appears out of the sky and obliterates the leader with one hit, the others look left and right for the attacker but they see nothing then they spotted a black object emerging from the Sun. It starts off as a dot but as it came closer it begins to take shape and eventually it was revealed to be Black Dragon. Keith wipes the remaining Normals out with no trouble before turning his attention to the target. Locking on to it, Keith pulls the trigger and another shell came screaming out of the barrel then blows the vehicle to bits.

The driver screamed, "Aaaaaargh!"

Serene said, "Confirmed enemy informer has been taken out mission complete."

Keith chuckled, "Heh, all too easy." Upon returning to Collared, he asked some maintenance worker, "Excuse me, sir but can you upgrade my NEXT's systems?"

He asked, "Like what?"

Keith answered, "Like increasing radar range, modifying the HUD and increase the NEXT's reactionary time to keep up with mine."

The maintenance man nodded, "I believe I can do that." Nodding, Keith left the hanger so that the man can return to his work. That evening Keith studies each of the registered NEXTs of Collared so that he will be ready to face them. The next day, Keith watched a giant monster movie called Godzilla vs. Destroyah made in 1995 and the last installment in the Heisei Series. The alternative title is Godzilla vs. Destroyer but it was changed to Destroyah for the U.S. version. The movie was excellent and the effects were pretty spectacular. Keith cried when the King of the Monsters melted down but smiled when his son was revived by the Monster King's remaining energy. When the credits roll, Keith turned the movie off and watched TV in his and Katrina's room. Nothing really interesting was on until he hears something on the news about enormous battle stations. Mid June comes and Keith carried out a mission where enemy forces were launching an attack on the Arena to stop an upcoming match. Keith's objective was simple all he had to do was destroy all attacking enemy forces. The 7-year old enters the structure and took in the appearance.

The interior had a dome-shaped ceiling, had bleachers for the audience to sit on whenever there's a match, a force field shielded them from the combating NEXTs and debris. The force field was deactivated at the moment. The enemy forces were composed mostly of MTs not that they stand much of a chance against an Armored Core. A few rounds from the OGOTO grenade cannon is all that is needed to put an end to the hostiles. That night, Keith went to bed a bit earlier than he usually does because tomorrow he's going to make history.

The next day, June 16, a lot of people go to the Arena for the match between two Lynx. However, since they are still rookies the match is boring to the crowd and they pretty much expressed it. Down in a hanger below the main floor where the matches happen, Keith was all geared up in his g-suit and testing Black Dragon's upgraded systems.

Serene's face appeared on the monitor, "Your match is up next, Keith. Your first opponent is Champion Champs, pilot of Killdozer, ranked number 30 in Collared's rank list. His NEXT is a middle-weight SUNSHINE model equipped with DOZAR demolition parts, in other words it doesn't fare well in Arena matches so you'll have an advantage over that. The only threat you should watch out for are the missile launcher and YAMATA grenade cannon. Those two weapons can do serious damage if you don't avoid them in time."

Keith put his helmet on, "Here I go." He powers up Black Dragon while the hydraulic platform begins its ascent, butterflies were fluttering around in Keith's stomach as the platform rose higher and higher.

Inside the commentator box, two people were calling the action using headsets. One was a young, handsome looking man with blonde hair, gray eyes, trimmed mustache and beard and had a nice build.

His partner was a beautiful young Asian woman with bob cut styled black hair, hazel colored eyes, and a nice toned figure with curves that would make any man drool.

The man said, "Hello, everyone and welcome back. Today, we got a newcomer debuting here in the Arena. My name is Matt Burns and alongside me is my good friend Zoe."

Zoe cried, "Thank you, Matt. Ladies and gentlemen, today will the newcomer make a first impression or will he fall after his very first Arena match?"

Matt answered, "We're going to find out right now." The first hydraulic platform completed its ascent, "Here comes one of the combatants. He's vicious, merciless and holds no remorse for those who fall before him. He is the pilot of Killdozer, Champion Champs!" The door to his corner opens up and the pilot lets out a bloodthirsty roar that sent chills down everyone's spines. The second platform brings the second Armored Core up and its door opens to allow Black Dragon to walk into the Arena.

Zoe stated, "And the challenger. Hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah is the challenger Keith Oswell and his NEXT Black Dragon!" Keith takes a few deep breathes to calm himself then placed his hands on the control sticks.

He dons his game face as the timer counted down and it said in a robotic tone, "Ready? Begin!" A buzzer goes off and the match started. Both Armored Cores waste no time in commencing their attack. Killdozer selects the missile launcher and fires a barrage at Black Dragon but the black NEXT dodges them, making Champion switch to the YAMAGA grenade cannon and unleash a round from it only to have it being countered by Black Dragon's WADOU grenade rifle. A giant plume of smoke erupts and covers the arena fortunately for the crowd the invisible force field protected them from the heat and toxic smoke.

Matt said, "Man, this Keith's no push over! He is not fooling around."

Zoe nodded, "You're right, Matt." When the smoke clears the entire Arena could see that Killdozer suffered major damage as sparks provided the proof, they all believe that one more hit and it's all over for Champion Champs. Killdozer shoots its remaining missiles but Black Dragon avoids them and delivered the coup de gras with the grenade rifle.

Champion screamed, "Noooooo!" His NEXT went into a kneeling stance to indicate its defeat while Black Dragon stands victorious with the WADOU grenade rifle smoking.

An announcer said, "Here is your winner, Keith Oswell!" The response he received was boos from the crowd not that Keith should be surprised about since it was his debut match.

'1-0.' Keith thought as he crosses out Killdozer on the list of opponents he will be facing in the Arena.

The next day Keith was facing Mrs. Theresia, the pilot of her NEXT Karyon. She was a loyal Lynx to the European branch of Global Armaments during the Lynx War. The corporation was in a deep rivalry with Bernard & Felix Foundation during this time as well. Eventually GAE decided to sever ties with the American parent group. When this happened, Theresia switched loyalties to TORUS her Armored Core Karyon is an experimental quad leg GAEN01-STARLET originally armed with common GA heavy weaponry like bazookas and missiles.

After shifting loyalties from GAE to TORUS and showing her opposition to GA symbolically, she changed her core part to an ARGYROS one built by TORUS and swapped her head and arms with Aldra parts. Her new weapons are from Aldra and TORUS. The only thing that was kept the same were the GAE manufactured STARLET legs. She did this not only to retain Karyon's mobility but also as a keepsake to her former employer plus showing her loyalties as well. The weapons were a BZ-BROCKEN bazooka model, an ALLEGHENY01 hand missile, SULTAN plasma cannon and BISMUTH Kojima missile launcher. Karyon proved to be a tough nut to crack but eventually the enemy NEXT's AP fell to zero.

Celebrity Ash and No Count suffer the same fate as Karyon and Killdozer. Keith crossed them off the list as well.

Yei and Wis try a 2 on 1 handicap match against Keith thinking that they'd have the numbers advantage but even the combined firepower of Emerald Raccoon and Scarlet Fox wasn't enough to defeat Black Dragon. Keith decides that he would face one pilot per day every week, excluding the weekends as they are the days for Keith to rest up. Keith's number of fans continued to grow as he burned through the ranks and he soon reached Canis.

Matt said in amazement, "This is incredible! Keith took down 8 NEXT pilots! Can anybody stop Keith Oswell?"

Zoe answered, "Yes but now he must face Canis." The two NEXTs walk forward and then the buzzer sounded, Savage Beast aims its AR-O700 assault rifle at Black Dragon but the Armored Core avoids the shot and retaliates with the WADOU grenade rifle, Savage Beast mirrored Black Dragon's action and avoided it. Switching to the MP-0601JC PM missile launcher Canis locks onto the target and fires a swarm of missiles but Black Dragon shot them down then returns the favor with the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and NEMAHA-01 vertical launch support missiles. Receiving a missile warning, Canis releases flares from the YASMIN shoulder units. Keith activates Black Dragon's overed booster to ram into Savage Beast and pin it to the ground before raising its right fist to punch the LANCEL head unit. Just before impact Savage Beast rolls them over so that the desert yellow, black striped Armored Core was on top it pointed the LR04-AVIOR laser rifle but Black Dragon kicks Savage Beast off. The two gain distance from each other as the crowd screamed and cheered at the show Keith and Canis were putting up.

Canis commented, "You are one impressive pilot, Keith."

Keith chuckled, "Ha ha, the same goes for you, Canis." Canis activates the overed booster, quickly closing the distance between Black Dragon and Savage Beast but as Savage Beast was about to strike, it felt itself being clotheslined by Black Dragon then the black NEXT takes to the sky and aimes its grenade rifle at the downed opponent. Keith pulls the trigger and the shell scores a direct hit on Savage Beast's chest. Additional rounds from the weapon strike Savage Beast, inflicting more damage. After the finishing blow is delivered Canis was defeated bringing Keith's Undefeated Streak to 9-0. Savage got to its feet again and Black Dragon stands in front of it and holds its hand out. Savage Beast shakes it as Canis discovers that he's earned Keith's respect.

The Streak soon rose to 13-0 as Double Edge, Vora Nork, Starka and Merrygate fell. More of the crowd was losing their doubts about Keith when they watch him fight. They also saw that he isn't fighting at the fullest, almost like he is saving it for someone but they didn't know who.

Keith's next opponent was a test pilot and cyborg named CUBE who works for Aspina and the only one who pilots the corporation's X-SOBRERO NEXT, dubbed Fragile by him. CUBE mostly pilots Fragile for data collecting missions for Aspina. Keith managed to get a look at Fragile's schematic and it appears to be designed for nearly permanent flight time and is armed with both machine and chain guns, enabling it to deal swift and heavy damage. It's because of this that many Lynx have fallen to CUBE. It's also mentioned that he has inhuman capabilities. Keith may find this to be his toughest opponent yet.

After the buzzer sounds, Keith wastes no time in selecting the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher. Gaining a 10 lock max Keith fires and the missiles come flying toward Fragile but with that skinny looking body, Fragile dodges them with inhuman speed before counter attacking with both of its XCG-B050 chain guns forcing Keith to take evasive action. The rounds were rapidly making mince-meat out of Black Dragon's Primal Armor and Keith knows that if that shield goes then his NEXT will be more susceptible to damage. Keith fires the WHEELING-01 again only this time, the projectiles are shot down by both of the enemy's XMG-A030 machine guns.

'Calm down, Keith don't get frustrated. That's just what CUBE wants you to do so he can take you down quickly.' Keith thought.

He starts to think of a strategy that can be useful in defeating CUBE. He soon comes up with one though it was a gamble. Keith could fire a swarm of missiles at Fragile and hope that at least some of them score a hit. Locking onto Fragile Keith unleashes another swarm of missiles at the X-SORERO NEXT luck was on his side as some of them hit Fragile, bringing its AP down.

CUBE said, "You got lucky there but it won't happen again." Rounds from the XCG-B050 chain guns spray out as Black Dragon moves around to avoid getting hit and the rounds hit the invisible force field, Black Dragon then uses its overed booster to swiftly close in before CUBE can react and straddled Fragile. The cyborg quickly caught on when he sees the WADOU grenade rifle's barrel extending and boosted away from Black Dragon however his opponent keeps chasing him, keeps pressing the attack. One final round from the grenade rifle ends the intense match.

The following day came with Takafumi Arisawa as victim number 15. Takafumi is the 43rd president of Arisawa Heavy Industries, a company with a long tradition in the economic hub of the Pacific Rim. They produce a wide range of military vehicles and explosives, plus the toughness of their products has earned the company a lot of praise in the field. Also known being a superb Lynx, Takafumi is the first company president to see combat.

His NEXT, Rai-den, is a super heavyweight tank type after being based on overwhelming offense and defense. While Rai-den had poor mobility, it made up for it with its armament of grenade launcher weapon arms and the super large and powerful OIGAMI grenade cannon. Arisawa lived up to his reputation as a superb Lynx because he came close to crushing Keith, that equaled almost breaking the Streak but he still failed.

Shamir lost because she didn't take the fight seriously and Keith added 4 more victims to his Streak, bringing it to 20-0.

It was now July 1 and everyone was enjoying the matches Keith put up, another thing that added to the excitement was that he never revealed his face whenever the cameras were rolling. This allowed the crowd to speculate what he looked like. Was he good looking? Did he have a disfigured face and didn't want to reveal it to the world? Those were the questions running through everyone's mind.

Keith waits for his opponent and when he showed up, Keith was awed by its appearance. The enemy NEXT was colored snow white, sky blue eyes, a ghostly eye emblem rested on its left shoulder and the parts it had must be new models because he hadn't seen them before. He found the core part the most intriguing because it looked like it had a pair of wings that deploy when the overed booster was activated. The pilot's name was labeled unknown but his/her rank number is 9 and the NEXT's name is White Glint according to Collared's data banks. The weapons consisted of a 051ANNR and 063ANAR rifle, and SALINE-05 spread missile launchers for back units.

Since the WADOU grenade rifle was experiencing a malfunction, he switched it with the GAN01-SS-WGP Gatling gun. The barrels of the Gatling gun start rotating in preparation to fire while the cover for one of the SALINE-05s opens up.

The pilot of White Glint pulls the trigger and a pack of missiles come out but Black Dragon shoots them down before firing back with the WHEELING-01. Suddenly Keith feels that there's something familiar about how this white Armored Core moved. He had a feeling that he and the pilot met somewhere before but Keith can't quite put his finger on it. A missile warning brings him out of his contemplation and Keith shakes the projectiles off and fires the OGOTO grenade cannon at White Glint, the agile machine avoided the shell and it slams into the Arena wall. White Glint's pilot was enjoying this, testing Keith's skills. Not in a sadistic way, of course. He aims the 051AANR and 063ANAR rifles and bullets fly out of the guns screaming towards their target inflicting high damage on Black Dragon. Keith is taken by surprise from that, those rifles packed a punch. He barely manages to evade as White Glint was in front of him charging up its Assault Armor and then unleashes it. Keith's growing reactionary time saves him however his NEXT's Primal Armor was temporarily disabled. That means that he has to fight while avoid taking heavier damage until the Primal Armor restored itself since it absorbs most of the damage. It suddenly hit him when he realized that the enemy's Primal Armor was temporarily disabled as well so White Glint was vulnerable to greater damage. Seizing this opportunity, Keith selects the WHEELING-01 and releases a payload at his opponent. An hour passes and the two were still going at it with both of their machines' AP in the red zone with Black Dragon having 745 remaining and White Glint with 567. Keith had one round left in the OGOTO grenade cannon, the same went for White Glint's rifles. What happens next seemed to have slowed down as the last round from the 051AANR and 063ANAR rifle are shot but they miss and Black Dragon releases its remaining shell from the grenade cannon. It impacts the core part effectively wiping out the rest of White Glint's AP. The fans immediately come unglued as Black Dragon stood victorious.

One fan yelled, "21-0, baby! Nobody can stop Keith Oswell!"

Keith takes July 4 off to celebrate Independence Day with Katrina and the NEXT pilots he was friends with. Katrina looks at Keith with a smile, happy over the fact that he is having a good time.

Before anyone knew it July 11 came and Keith feels regret well up in his throat since he faced Katrina next. The fans could feel that the two are close friends and it brings Keith no joy having to fight Katrina. But he fought so many pilots and worked hard to get this far. Black Dragon and Red Angel look at each other.

Keith said, "Katrina…"

Katrina smiled with a sad frown, "I completely understand what you are feeling, Keith but if you defeat me then you can face Otsdarva. So please don't hold back." The 07-Moonlight and EB-R500 ignite and both NEXTs rushed forward. The laser blades collide and the combatants enter a test of strength, pushing one another back and forth until Black Dragon won it and strikes Red Angel with a shoulder tackle. Red Angel skids back then aims the 03-MOTORCOBRA machine gun and fires only to have its rounds be countered by Black Dragon's Gatling gun, Katrina's machine swings the EB-R500 at its opponent's head but Black Dragon ducks and punches Red Angel in the face. Red Angel takes evasive action from enemy fire then found itself against a wall, Katrina pulls away in time before a fist collides with the wall. She fails to react quickly enough when a round from the OGOTO grenade cannon hits her NEXT and she grunts as the cockpit shakes violently before it subsides.

Though Keith didn't show it, his heart was crying as he fights his close friend. It just didn't seem right to battle Katrina since she's one of the few Lynx that has showed him kindness and affection since his first day as a NEXT pilot. But following Katrina's request Keith doesn't hold back though he hopes that she wasn't badly injured when this fight ends.

Katrina selects the WHEELING-01 and unleashes a swarm of missiles plus the SM01-SCYLLA. The SCYLLA missiles were difficult to shake off but Keith succeeds in making them lose their tracking and they end up crashing into each other.

The crowd was conflicted on who to root for.

A blast from Black Dragon's Assault Armor reduced Red Angel's AP by 40%. Mirroring Keith's actions, Katrina uses her machine's Assault Armor to even out the damage level. The OGOTO grenade cannon fired once more but the attack is thwarted by the HLC09-ACRUX. The two keep battling without restraint until the climax finally arrived. Black Dragon uses its Assault Armor effectively making Red Angel's AP drop to zero and bringing his Streak to 22-0.

Katrina said, "Congratulations, Keith you won don't worry about me, this damage to Red Angel can be fixed easily. You should now focus on Otsdarva, teach him a lesson in respect."

Keith nodded, "Understood." For the remaining month of July, Keith takes a break from piloting his Armored Core since fighting 22 other Lynx in little under 2 months was very tiring. While Keith's piloting skills are growing, his body is still flesh and bone and there's a limit to how much abuse it can absorb before giving out. Keith sat down on a hill looking at the sea as a gentle breeze blows his hair around. The cool breeze helps in easing out his tense nerves. He is joined by Katrina who also sits down and rested her head on his shoulder Keith welcomes it since he loved having Katrina's company after the span of one year. He was informed that his match will be on Friday, August 15 which suited Keith just fine.

Tickets were being purchased from left to right by anxious fans and sales for wallpaper along with other art work were off the charts. Promos run to add further excitement to the upcoming match. Keith stood in a graveyard fully clad in his g-suit, white fog littered the ground to make the promo eerie and thunderclouds blackened the sky and thunder roared along with lightning. Keith's helmet wasn't on so his face could be seen but the shadows darkened it to make him look creepy.

Keith said, "_You believe that no one will ever dethrone you from your position as the rank 1 Lynx? You think I'm not worthy to be the best? You need to open those black eyes of yours, Otsdarva because on Friday, August 15 your reign will end because I'm going to be the one who ends it. Our match will have no time limit. What that means is that I'm going to take my sweet time in beating the living hell out of you for every single insult you threw at me last year. You're one of the few pilots who don't show me respect unlike the others who show respect. Although you may have your fans across the world convinced that you're a hero? You're nothing more than an arrogant phony asking to have his ass kicked and I will gladly do the honors of beating some sense into you at our match. To make a long story short, Otsdarva even though you're bigger and stronger than me, the outcome will be the same. This is my date with destiny and you won't knock me off the pedestal I have worked so hard to get to. On August 15 prepare to burn in hell._" Thunder clashed and Keith vanished when a lightning bolt struck.

August 15 finally comes and the Arena is packed to full capacity with 20,000+ fans. A thunderstorm was forecasted today with heavy rainfall.

An announcer stood in the center of the Arena with a microphone in his hand. He said, "THIS BATTLE IS FOR THE TITLE OF RANK 1." Otsdarva came out first using 'Whispers in the Dark' by Skillet, "INTRODUCING FIRST. FROM SEATTLE, WASHINGTON HE IS THE CURRENT RANK 1 LYNX, OTSDARVA!" His fans scream at the top of their lungs when Stasis came out then his music stopped playing. Suddenly, the whole Arena becomes pitch black.

Zoe said, "The reaction is going to be not of this world." A low bell sounds twice before an eerie theme played along with a creepy chorus. The door to Keith's corner opens up and an eerie blue-white light shines from it and standing in the middle was Black Dragon with only its red eyes visible in the darkness. It slowly and methodically walks out almost as if Keith was stepping out of the fiery depths of hell. A lightning bolt struck, making the entrance even more intimidating. He gave Otsdarva a glare so menacing that it'd make Satan himself tremble in fear.

The announcer continued, "AND FROM SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH KEITH OSWELL!" Keith's fans go nuts. Black Dragon stops a few feet away from Stasis and held its hands out then thrusts its arms up swiftly, bringing the lights back up with a loud bang making everyone flinch.

Zoe said, "Damn near gave me a heart attack!"

Matt added excitingly, "I have goose bumps, people! I am psyched for this! This match will be one for the ages!" The announcer exits the main floor and entered an observation tower as the buzzer signifies for the match to start.

Zoe cried, "Otsdarva has reigned as the rank 1 Lynx for 8 years since winning it in 1997. The question on everyone's mind is can Keith succeed in dethroning him and take his place at the top or will Otsdarva's reign continue?"

Matt informed, "He may have a difficult time accomplishing that. Stasis is lighter so therefore is faster and more agile. It can turn more sharply and Otsdarva has more battle experience."

His broadcast partner added, "But Black Dragon can take more punishment, it carries powerful ballistic weapons and can strike with Assault Armor when the opponent least expects it."

Black Dragon and Stasis come up close to stare down each other. Black Dragon then did the Rest In Peace sign, silently telling Otsdarva that he better enjoy his last moments as the rank 1 Lynx because it ends after this.

This got under Otsdarva's skin and Stasis pulls back before targeting Black Dragon with the MP-O901 missile launcher, the projectiles come out and fly toward the target but Black Dragon shot them down with the GAN01-SS-WGP Gatling gun. Keith retaliates with the WHEELING-01 multi chain missile launcher he quickly gains a lock thanks to the INBLUE FCS's swift lock-on speed and pulls the trigger. The next thing Otsdarva hears is a missile warning he looks up to see a bunch of missiles coming towards him Stasis dodges every one of them before firing its energy rifle but Black Dragon spins around to avoid it. Otsdarva realizes that there is something different about Keith's demeanor he was deathly calm, the current rank 1 Lynx fails to react in time as Black Dragon rapidly closes the distance between them and wraps both hands around Stasis' neck then tossed the lightweight LAHIRE NEXT three-quarters across the Arena, making the whole place shake. Otsdarva was shocked as he felt being thrown into the air and his NEXT rolling around on the ground before coming to a halt. Stasis rolls around on the ground even more when a round from the WADOU grenade rifle struck. Spotting Black Dragon approaching his location Otsdarva makes a bee line toward the door that leads to a nearby park some members of the crowd thought of this as the act of a coward. Katrina watches this from the bleachers and when she sees Otsdarva performing that move she instantly knew that the winds of change were blowing.

Keith follows his prey outside visibility was limited due to the storm so Keith switches to thermal vision in order to see. His Armored Core suddenly gets hit by a huge tree so hard that Black Dragon nearly loses its footing and Stasis speared its opponent followed by a series of punches to the head. A camera follows them for the crowd to see.

Zoe said, "These guys are trying to physically dismantle one another!" Black Dragon throws Stasis off and rips a street lamp from the ground to use it as a weapon, it's swung like a baseball bat and it viciously strikes the blue opponent bending the metal pole. Just like he promised Keith takes his time punishing Otsdarva. Paybacks are a bitch! Stasis pins Black Dragon and the two roll down a hill and into a deep pond. But soon both of them emerge from the water, everyone inside the Arena watched the match between these two with intense excitement then it grew when they look at the sign displaying their respective machines' AP and it showed Stasis with 2,564 and Black Dragon with nearly all of its AP. Without warning Stasis comes flying through the ceiling.

Matt exclaimed, "Otsdarva is fighting for his life!" Black Dragon slowly stalks Stasis as the blue NEXT lured it into a trap then fires the MP-O901 again but like before they get shot down. Taking advantage of this, Stasis rushes in only to be met with a savage clothesline from Black Dragon. Getting back to its feet, Black Dragon raised its hand into the air wiggling its fingers.

'Come on get up, Otsdarva!' Keith thought with disdain.

When Stasis got up on wobbly legs and turns around, Black Dragon wraps its hand around Stasis' throat and does a violent choke slam. Frustration finally getting the best of him Otsdarva attempts to blast Black Dragon's head off with the AR-O700 assault rifle. However, he never gets the chance to pull the trigger because Keith delivers the coup de gras with the OGOTO grenade cannon, effectively taking out the rest of Stasis' AP. The blue Armored Core went into a kneeling stance.

Matt said, "Keith has done it! He's defeated Otsdarva!"

The announcer declared, "THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH AND NEW RANK 1 LYNX, KEITH OSWELL!" The whole Arena erupts into cheers and the Bells and Thunder theme played. Keith was shocked when he hears that but it quickly turned into a triumphant smile. Even the worldwide viewers were ecstatic.

His face appeared on a monitor in Stasis' cockpit, "In case it hasn't sunk in, Otsdarva not only am I 23-0 but have also defeated you. Since today is my birthday I thought what better birthday present I'd get than by becoming the youngest rank 1 Lynx at the age of 8? I'm the new rank 1 Lynx now!" Black Dragon throws its arms up adding insult to injury. Fireworks launch into the now clear sky.

Zoe said, "I'm shocked! Keith has taken Otsdarva's place at the top. Congratulations, Keith let the celebration begin."

Later that day, the personnel of Collared do a massive party for Keith's 8th birthday. The new rank 1 Lynx gets soaked with water as part of the celebration. There were drinks like alcohol, pops, and punch alongside cake and other kinds of food. Keith receives all kinds of presents but the one that stood out than the rest was a necklace that had a ruby jewel attached to it.

Katrina held it out, "I bought this for you, Keith."

Keith asked, "How did you know that red is my favorite color?"

Katrina giggled, "Lucky guess." Keith takes the necklace and puts it around his neck.

The next day Keith was asked if he can have an interview done in the middle of the Arena and he agrees.

Matt said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the new rank 1 Lynx, Keith Oswell!" The Bells and Thunder theme played and the whole Arena is plunged into darkness again then a door opened up for Keith to walk out from. When he reached the center he brings the lights up to reveal that he's in normal clothing the crowd was able to see his face for the first time. They were stunned. They were expecting a young man not a kid however, the fighting skills he displayed yesterday is enough to change their minds.

Matt continued, "I would like to start off by congratulating you on your victory yesterday."

Keith nodded, "Thank you, Matt. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, welcome to a new era. For weeks prior to my match, Otsdarva has been talking trash about how great he is but unless you can back them up they are just empty words. I back mine up with action. Some people have asked me was it worth paying a higher price? Was an entire year of being disrespected, criticized, fighting 30 Lynx in little under 2 months, and being mentally challenged, and believe me I was tested, was it worth it? My answer is yes, through determination I am the new rank 1 Lynx. To any newcomers who think of challenging me for the title, you better be ready to face a tough opponent because I won't give up my new rank so easily."

Matt said, "Well, there are people out there who think that your victory was a fluke. Do you have anything to say about that?"

Keith answered, "I won fair and square. I didn't cheat, I didn't play dirty or any of the sort. Whether they like it or not, I'm going to be the rank 1 Lynx for a long, long time!" He is interrupted by Stasis walking out and glaring down at him.

Otsdarva said, "If any of you people think that this is the beginning of the Keith Oswell era, you are wrong because I am invoking my rematch clause!" Black Dragon walks out on autopilot mode then Keith walked over to stand on a lifting wire, which automatically begins ascending. Upon completing that task Keith enters the cockpit to shut off the autopilot.

Keith cried, "Fine then but don't ball like a baby when I beat you twice." Matt immediately gets out of the way, not wanting to be squashed by either one of the Armored Core's feet.

Stasis' Armor Points are only halfway restored so Keith concludes that it would only take a few powerful attacks to defeat it. Stasis recklessly charges forward only to find itself being launched into the air courtesy of a back body drop. Stasis gets up and attempted to do a sneak attack but Black Dragon gives it a haymaker. Rage was flowing through Otsdarva's veins because he was humiliated in front of thousands of people and he wants his rank number back. Keith has no intention of letting that happen as long as his NEXT is functional. Both Black Dragon and Stasis fire their missile launchers at the same time and Black Dragon evades so the incoming projectiles strike the wall, pieces of it crumbles to the ground.

A technician realizes that the force field wasn't up so he immediately runs to the switch and flips it. The generators produce a low humming noise that gradually grows louder until the force field covers the Arena walls.

Keith taunted, "You should give it up. You can't beat me, fool."

Nothing in Otsdarva's playbook seems to be effective in doing significant damage. Seeing that his defeat is rapidly approaching Stasis jettisons all of its weapons to make itself faster and more agile. Keith saw this as an act of desperation, the black-haired boy was fully confident in his own abilities.

He gives Otsdarva the "bring it" gesture, which the irate former rank 1 Lynx gladly took up on the offer. Black Dragon blocks every physical strike launched at it before countering with attacks of its own. Since Black Dragon weighed a little more than Stasis, it's able to put all of its weight behind those strikes. Frustration continues to build for Otsdarva as the battle continues until he makes a critical mistake and Keith capitalized on it with a powerful blast from Black Dragon's Assault Armor.

A spectator said, "Wow, Keith beat Otsdarva twice now." They say that third time's the charm but Keith defeated Otsdarva again, this time he humiliates the arrogant young man by cutting off all of Stasis' limbs. His Undefeated Streak is now 25-0. He leaves the Arena shortly after the match ended.

'Otsdarva, you have no idea how long I wanted to humiliate you and it felt good!' Keith thought in satisfaction.

As Stasis was being carried out on a transport truck, Otsdarva is absolutely livid. He refuses to accept the fact that he got beaten 3 times by an 8-year old. He'll get even with Keith eventually.

A/N: Chapter 16 done. Well folks here it is, the battle you guys have been waiting for. Keith has defeated Otsdarva and has taken his place as the rank 1 Lynx.

The Undefeated Streak, you can pretty much guess where I got it from. The same thing goes for the entrance theme for Keith. That's right it's from the Deadman himself, the Undertaker. I chose the Bells and Thunder theme because it gave you a sense of inevitable doom and is creepy. I figured I would use that theme because it would also symbolically mean that Otsdarva's time as the rank 1 Lynx is up.

Perhaps now you guys won't be after my head *ignites light saber*. I haven't done multiple NEXT battles in one chapter. I usually do like 1 or 2 so this is my first attempt.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 17.

Vader 23A


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Saving Friends

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The Cradles have been in service for 2 years now and everything's running smoothly for them. Keith, now 9 years old, was enjoying being the rank 1 Lynx. Defeating Otsdarva had a positive impact on Keith. He's more confident, calmer, and has more restraint over his emotions. Katrina added more positivity to Keith's personality some of the NEXT pilots believe that Katrina's caring nature was slowly but surely healing Keith's heart. The young American and Canis have become like brothers, whenever the three pilots were on missions they always watch each other's backs and their attacks were precise and sometimes downright scary their enemies have nicknamed them the "Demons of Hell" and rightfully so.

Keith was currently sitting on a hill enjoying the view with Katrina. Virtually everyone at Collared wonder if Keith and Katrina are more than just close friends, some are even speculating that they may love each other deeply but whenever one of them were asked about it, they don't answer.

Katrina was wearing her Undertaker T-shirt, a pair of shorts and shoes, Keith always thought that Katrina looked pretty no matter what kind of clothing she wears adding to the fact that she was maturing only made Katrina's beauty more radiant to Keith. Likewise, Katrina thought that Keith was good looking but she was eagerly wondering what Keith will look like when both of them were in their mid teens. They both stand and take a walk around town. Everything was returning to normal after the Lynx War came to an end 2 years ago but they can see that some scars of the war remain. Farmers had to place their crops inside glass-domed structures to protect them from the ever growing pollution by the waste emitted from Kojima particles Keith looks up into the sky where the residents of the Cradles reside at. He can only imagine what their lives must be like ever since they moved up there a part of him couldn't help but feel upset knowing that they have no idea of the hardships that are happening here on the Earth's poisoned surface.

Katrina notices Keith looking at the sky and asked, "Keith, what's wrong?"

Keith answered, "Do you think the people living in the Cradles have any idea about the struggles going on here on the surface?"

Katrina shook her head, "I don't know. They made their choice on living in clear air while we stay here. I clearly see that they have no idea what is happening here." As they continue to walk around town Keith feels someone tap his shoulder so Keith turns around to see who it was. It turned out to be Rebecca and Brianna. Since they aren't wearing their g-suits, Keith is able to get a better look at them.

Brianna now had shoulder-length brown hair, blue eyes, a pretty face, mild tanned skin, and was a few years older than Keith, possibly around 11 or 12 years old. Her attire consisted of a purple T-shirt, charcoal gray shorts and sandals.

Rebecca had short, slightly darker brown hair, blue eyes, a pretty face as well, paler skin and was around Keith's age. Her clothing was composed of a white T-shirt, navy blue shorts and sandals.

Keith gasped, "Brianna! Rebecca!"

Katrina looked at Keith, "You know them?"

Keith nodded, "Yeah, Otsdarva and I encountered them during that escort mission of those Omer Science Technology transport trucks but I let them go since they didn't deserve to die."

Brianna smiled, "Which we're very grateful for. We promised Keith that the next time we have an encounter, we wouldn't be enemies. We watched you take down Otsdarva and became the youngest rank 1 Lynx, Keith very impressive."

Keith smiled, "Thanks. Otsdarva was getting on my nerves for a whole year so I needed to shut him up, which is exactly what I did. I also plan on keeping this title for a long, long time! Oh yeah, Katrina, this is Brianna and her little sister Rebecca. Brianna, Rebecca, this is my friend Katrina." The three shake hands then suddenly the group heard footsteps approaching their location when Keith turned around he is met with some Otsdarva fan girls, much to Katrina's chagrin. Ever since Otsdarva lost his title as the rank 1 Lynx, Keith has been on the receiving end of heated words from girls who had a crush on Otsdarva.

The leader asked, "Why did you have defeat Otsdarva, Oswell?"

Her friend added, "What gave you the right to dethrone him and the reasons better be good!"

Keith stated calmly, "He was disrespecting me and besides he needed to be taught a lesson in manners."

The lead girl retorted, "I think _you_ need to be taught a lesson!"

A voice called out, "Hey!"

The fan girls cried, "What?" When they turn around for the origin of the voice, they are greeted with the towering figure of Roy Saaland and he was giving them an intimidating glare.

He informed, "Everything that Keith said is true. Otsdarva needed to be taught a lesson in manners now get lost before you three do something you'll end up regretting." The fan girls backed up.

The leader said, "Now hold up, Roy you're not going to scare us with that street thug trash!" Sherry was with Roy and she gives the troublesome group an equal intimidating glare.

She warned, "You do one more insult to my friend and your bottoms will be black and blue. And I won't feel remorse about it." That sends the girls packing and Sherry watched them high tail it out of there.

Keith exhaled, "Thanks, Roy I guess there are some who refuse to accept the change of the guard, huh?"

Roy replied, "This has been going on for 2 years now and Sherry, please don't leave those girls' bottoms black and blue otherwise you'll be charged with physical assault." Later that day, Keith looks for available missions and found one. Its Credit reward and difficulty rating was unknown but being a NEXT pilot, Keith is willing to accept the risk.

The briefing began, "Here's your mission, Keith. The client is Algebra Corporation. Your objective is to conduct a reconnaissance mission on a suspicious production plant that has been taken over by Russian terrorists. We have suspicions that they might be producing bio-chemical weapons and if you can obtain proof then we'll decide the best course of action. That is all. Algebra would be most grateful if you take this mission because you'd potentially be saving thousands of innocent lives." Keith dons his g-suit, gloves, boots and helmet before proceeding to the hanger, along the way he comes across Katrina and Canis.

Canis looked at Keith, "Hey, Keith. Going on a mission?"

Keith nodded, "Yep. A recon mission, can you guys come with me?"

Katrina asked, "Why?"

Keith answered, "Because, I have a gut feeling that this could also be a trap if the Russian terrorists took over my target. I'll explain while we're heading there." His friends don their gear and then the trio boarded their NEXTs. A transport plane takes them halfway there before they disembark from this point on they're on their own.

Serene informed, "The target is about 40 miles north of your position the terrorists have established a huge early warning detection system linked to AA defenses, the system will be marked on your HUD as circles. If you enter any one of those circles the AA defenses will activate so try not to do anything reckless. The system spreads from your current location all the way to plant."

Katrina said, "Hey, Serene I noticed that the circles have gotten smaller as we came to a landing."

Their operator instructed, "Then your best bet is to stay at ground level and make your way in. Once you have cleared the early warning detection system start scanning the production plant for any trace of bio-chemical weapons."

Canis exclaimed, "Bio-chemical weapons?"

Keith explained, "This mission request came from Algebra Corporation. They think that the production plant the terrorists have taken over may be producing bio-chemical weapons so Algebra has asked me to do a reconnaissance mission. If I obtain proof then Algebra will decide what to do next."

Katrina asked, "Wouldn't destroy the plant be the ultimate decision?"

Keith shook his head, "It's not that simple because if it's producing bio-chemical weapons, we don't know what kind it is or what kind of damage it could do. Can you imagine what the death toll would be if it was released in a populated city?"

The blue-haired girl replied, "You got a point there." The trio carefully made their way through the early warning detection system, making sure not to enter any of the circles. Keith then remembers the orphanage that was recently built for all the children who lost their parents in the Lynx War. Seeing the poor youngsters nearly brought tears to Keith's eyes since he understands how painful it is to lose the two most importantly people of your life.

Keith, Katrina and Canis eventually clear the system and arrive at the target area. Keith looks left and right, feeling that something is amiss here.

Canis said, "There's the plant. The sooner you finish scanning it, the sooner we can leave."

Keith cried, "Wait a minute, Canis this is too easy. Working our way through the EWDS and no enemy units in sight this is clearly a trap. My gut feeling was right. I'm commencing the scan right now. Katrina, Canis, keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

Katrina and Canis nodded, "Roger." Keith starts scanning the production plant while Katrina and Canis stand guard, little did they know that an enemy Normal spotted them and was about to sound the alarm. Once the scanning is done, the color changes from white to red.

Serene informed, "Scanning complete Algebra's suspicions were correct, this plant is producing a new type of nerve toxin named Gamma 4. According to the logs, death is almost instantaneous upon inhaling the gas. About 3 seconds after inhalation, the victim experiences sudden and intense pain followed by feeling nauseous and vomiting. Multiple organ failure is the final symptom after 10 seconds upon inhaling the gas. The death toll this gas would bring if it were ever unleashed on a major populated city would be beyond comprehension. I'm sending the results to Algebra now." Immediately after doing that, an alarm sounds.

Canis cursed, "Crap, we've been discovered!"

Keith added, "Now the terrorists know we're here." As if on cue, a squadron of NEXTs appeared out of nowhere and land in front of Keith, Katrina and Canis.

The leader was a black SUNSHINE-01 model trimmed with red, a yellow-orange eye and its armament was composed of a nasty beam sickle, a plasma rifle, a Kojima missile launcher, and Gatling cannon and a red hourglass emblem rested on the left arm. This machine was piloted by an experienced Russian Lynx named Vladimir Kamchatka. The NEXT's name was Black Widow.

The second NEXT was a bright purple four-legged heavy armed with laser cannon arms and twin rocket launcher back units. Its emblem had a shattered halo with a sword in the middle and human skulls impaled on spikes. The machine was dubbed Peace Crusher.

The third Armored Core was a two-legged medium model colored completely black with a red eye. Its weaponry was made up of chain gun weapon arms and twin Gatling cannons and YASMIN shoulder units. A flaming emblem was visible on the right arm. Its name was Black Inferno.

Enemy NEXT number 4, named Devastator, was a two-legged heavy colored blue trimmed with black, a purple eye and its arsenal was consisted of a WADOU grenade rifle, GAN01-SS-WGP Gatling gun, a vertical missile launcher and radar unit. Its emblem design was of a smoking, barren wasteland.

The fifth and final NEXT, dubbed Soul Breaker, was also a two-legged heavy model colored white and dark gray, eerie bright green eyes and armed with 051ANNR rifles and an experimental Kojima cannon developed by TORUS. Its emblem was of the Grim Reaper swinging its sickle through his victim's outer shell to rip the soul out. Keith, Katrina and Canis look at each one of the hostiles as a cold shiver ran up their spine.

'There's 5 of them and only 3 of us. Not good.' Katrina thought with worry.

Canis asked, "Keith, what do you think of our chances of getting out of here alive?"

Keith answered, "I'd say we have a 2% chance of surviving this." Vladimir gives his squad mates orders like who to face who and make sure to not leave any of them alive. Black Widow selects Black Dragon. Peace Crusher and Black Inferno have dibs on Red Angel and Devastator and Soul Breaker target Savage Beast.

Vladimir ordered, "These fools have taken pictures of our bio-chemical production plant and no doubt sent them to their client. We must ensure that they don't leave here alive. You got that?"

His partners replied, "Yes, sir!" Black Widow commences his attack on Black Dragon with a round from its plasma rifle but Black Dragon dodges it and countered it with the WADOU grenade rifle only to have the enemy Armored Core to quick boost to the left. Switching to the Kojima missile launcher Black Widow fires it. A missile warning sounds and Keith pulls a hard right turn while moving at 656 kilometers per hour, he feels his g-suit inflate to counter a near bone-crushing 9gs from the turn. He finally shakes the missile off his tail and selects the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher, after achieving a 10 lock max Keith pulls the trigger. A swarm of missiles come hurling toward Black Widow but they get shot down by the Gatling cannon. Black Dragon boosts to the left as the Gatling cannon is turned to him. The shells of hot lead were mere millimeters away from hitting the Primal Armor protecting Black Dragon. Another Kojima missile is launched but gets destroyed by a round from the OGOTO grenade cannon, creating a huge cloud of smoke. Keith barely had enough time to react when Black Widow comes barreling through the cloud with its beam sickle ignited Black Dragon catches it with its hands and Black Widow pushes the weapon down more, forcing it closer to the chest of Black Dragon.

Vladimir said, "Die, mercenary scum!" Suddenly his Armored Core is kicked back by Black Dragon and it restores its vertical base before activating the 07-Moonlight laser blade. The two speed toward one another and their weapons clash.

Savage Beast dodges a shot fired from Soul Breaker's Kojima cannon and the cyan colored beam soars past him and blows a hill apart.

'Good lord.' Canis thought with awe as he looked at the result of the cannon's destructive power. Snapping back to reality Canis points the LR04-AVIOR laser rifle at Soul Breaker but the laser round just bounces off the Primal Armor and went to a different direction.

The pilot taunted, "Is that all you got? My turn, get ready." Aiming the 051ANNR rifles he pulls the trigger in rapid successions and destroys the LR04-AVIOR laser rifle and AR-O700 assault rifle faster than Canis could blink.

Devastator chained the attack with the WADOU grenade rifle and GAN01-SS-WGP Gatling gun, the rounds shatter the Primal Armor leaving Savage Beast bare of protection, Savage Beast fires up its main boosters and took to the sky before shooting the BM05-LAMIA AS missile launcher at Soul Breaker but minor damage was inflicted, the MP-O6011C PM missile launcher is fired only to end with the same result. Looks like Canis had to be creative in this fight.

Red Angel avoids a swarm of projectiles Peace Crusher's rocket launchers before retaliating with the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and SM01-SCYLLA support missiles but Black Inferno released flares to direct the missiles away from its ally. The enemy Armored Core then fires its laser cannon arms the force of it sending Red Angel flying through the air and a hill before coming to a crashing halt. Red Angel is then bombarded by a rain of lead from Black Inferno's chain gun arms, the red NEXT's AP continue to decline until Katrina pulls her machine away from it and straightens Red Angel. Switching to the HLC09-ACRUX, Katrina fires immediately after gaining a lock. Peace Crusher and Black Inferno move out of the way and do a combination attack that forces Katrina to take evasive action again. Another round from Peace Crusher's laser cannon arms strikes Red Angel in the chest making the mighty behemoth skid back before falling to one knee. Katrina feels something pouring down her face so she looked at it and screamed in horror when she realized it was blood oozing out from a cut on the side of her head.

Canis hears Katrina's scream of horror over the radio and looked at the where it came from, this drop in guard allows Devastator to slam one of its heavy legs onto Savage Beast's head and the Armored Core plummets to the ground and creates a crater. A huge shockwave occurred after impact. Canis grunts as he is flung from his seat though fortunately his safety harnesses pull him back down.

Black Dragon and Black Widow battle it out in the sky with their close-range weaponry. Black Widow swings its beam scythe downward to cut its opponent in half but Black Dragon blocks with the 07-Moonlight then punches Black Widow across the face. Black Dragon wraps its arms around the enemy and the two start plummeting toward the ground in a high-speed dive, they soon pass the sound barrier. Keith's g-suit squeezes his calves, thighs and stomach to keep blood in his brain and prevent him from blacking out from this dive. They impact the ground with a thunderous thud and Keith immediately heads over to assist Katrina. Black Widow tries to give chase but Vladimir discovered that all systems were frozen from that dive, he starts going to work on getting the systems back online.

Peace Crusher aims its rocket launchers at the damaged Red Angel but gets struck with a shell from the OGOTO grenade cannon. It and Black Inferno turn to see Black Dragon landing next to Red Angel. Monitors inside Black Dragon's cockpit allow Keith to take in the damage and it turns out to be worse than he expected. Red Angel's armor was badly banged up, it was missing an arm and leg, half of the head part was gone and a gaping hole in the chest area was visible. Keith notices Katrina's bloodied g-suit had holes and tears in them. It seems that Peace Crush and Black Inferno did a number on her.

Keith seethed, "You monsters." Black Dragon turned around with the 07-Moonlight ignited, "How dare you hurt my friend so for that, you will die!" Peace Crusher fires its laser cannon arms but Black Dragon dodges the attack then sliced the enemy Armored Core in half before it explodes. Feeling the huge killer intent coming off of Black Dragon, Black Inferno attempts to retreat but Keith wouldn't have any of it as he crushes it as well.

Keith said, "Katrina, you okay? Answer me, Katrina."

Katrina cried weakly, "Keith. Is…is that….you?"

Her friend informed, "Stay with me, girl. I'm going to help Canis then we're getting out of here." Keith surveyed the damage to Savage Beast and discovered that the head part was blown off which meant that Canis was as blind as a bat at the moment so Keith had to help him out by telling where the next attack was coming from. Black Dragon locks onto Devastator and soon fires the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher with NEMAHA-01 vertical support missiles. The projectiles hit home and inflict damage on Devastator. Another swarm is released but this time they get shot down by the GAN01-SS-WGP Gatling gun before switching to the WADOU grenade rifle only to have it being countered by Black Dragon's own grenade rifle. The black NEXT then dodges a missile attack from its opponent, growling in frustration the pilot of Devastation jettisons all of its weaponry and Keith quickly got the picture of what the enemy had in mind. The barrel of Black Dragon's WADOU grenade rifle retracts and waited for Devastator to make the first move. Devastator speeds forward for a punch but Black Dragon catches it and kneed its foe in the gut before wrapping its hands around Devastator's neck and tossing it across the battlefield. Keith turns his head in time to see Soul Breaker aiming its Kojima cannon at Canis.

Keith barked, "Canis, incoming enemy attack from six o'clock! Evade!" Canis heard him and moves out of the way in time as the Kojima cannon is fired and passed by the headless Savage Beast. Relying on Keith's voice, Canis directs his Armored Core where Soul Breaker's next location was. He locks onto the enemy and fires both the BM05-LAMIA AS and MP-0601JC PM and Soul Breaker couldn't avoid all of them because of the weight class it's in. Retaliating, the white and dark gray NEXT unleashes the 051ANNR rifles but once again Keith informs Canis where the attack was coming from. Firing both of its missile launchers again, Savage Beast brings Soul Breaker's AP down to the red zone and one more round destroys the menace.

Thwarting a kick from Devastator, Black Dragon drives its fist into the side of Devastator's face before head butting it. Devastator stumbles back before regaining its balance and spears Black Dragon, the enemy NEXT punches Black Dragon until it's thrown off with authority. The black Armored Core gets back up and rapidly closes the distance and the pilot of Devastator only had enough time to gasp as Black Dragon uses Assault Armor to finish him off. Black Dragon gains some distance before the explosion happens.

Canis informed, "Hey, Keith. We need to get to a hospital right now, Katrina's badly injured." That sends off warning alarms in Keith's head.

Keith nodded, "Right. Transport plane 245, recon mission is complete but we have injuries on hand requesting immediate evacuation!"

The transport pilot said, "A bad thunderstorm has rolled in on the base therefore it's too dangerous to send an aircraft over to you at this time."

Canis exclaimed, "What? Listen pal, don't you tell me that you can't send a transport plane due to weather. Katrina needs medical attention ASAP or she will die from blood loss and it will be your fault for not arriving in time. Now you will get your scrawny ass over here or so help me, I will come over to that base and blow you to kingdom come, got it?"

The pilot replied fearfully, "Y-yes, sir."

Serene chuckled, "Heh, you certainly showed him."

Canis huffed, "Hmph, power of intimidation. I most likely have dislocated my shoulder and I can't treat it myself and no way am I letting this place being my grave." The transport arrives after an agonizing hour but by that time who knows how much blood Katrina has lost. Both Black Dragon and Savage Beast carry Red Angel into the cargo area and the door closes behind them.

Keith ordered, "Alright, get us of here." The pilot obeyed and directs the transport plane out of the mission area. Over the radio Keith can hear Katrina's labored breathing.

'Come on, Katrina. Keep fighting, you can do it. We're heading home then you're going to the hospital, hold out until then.' He thought. After a somewhat long flight back to the U.S. capital, the ambulance was automatically called in no time they arrive and rush Katrina to the hospital. Keith and Canis meet them there, the back of the ambulance doors open up and the legs of the stretcher Katrina was on deploy and medical personnel run to the ER, Keith followed them as far as he could until he couldn't anymore, Canis was taken to the ER for surgery on his shoulder. Keith sits in a chair outside of the room. Although he was calm, his mind was racing a thousand miles per hour over if they got here in time to save her. Keith decides to head outside of the hospital to clear his mind of the worst case scenario he watches as the Sun sets turning the sky shades of orange, pink and purple. Sadly this moment of peace doesn't last long as air raid sirens sound throughout the city.

The headset Keith's wearing beeps and he answered it, "Keith here. What's up?"

Serene said, "Keith, our EDWS has picked up an enemy NEXT heading your way."

Keith asked, "Have you been able to confirm its identity?"

Serene replied, "Yes, it's that black Armored Core that you, Katrina and Canis encountered during the recon mission, Black Widow."

The black-haired American cried, "He must have fixed all of his machine's systems that froze up as a result of that high-speed dive. How am I going to fight it? My Armored Core isn't here."

His operator informed, "Black Dragon will be launched from the tennis court near your proximity." All of a sudden the tennis court rises then opens as a lift holding Black Dragon emerges then lower front half of it lowers.

'Thank you, Serene.' Keith thought. He turns around to look at the horizon and can see a black dot and he immediately knew that it was Black Widow so Keith rides a lifting wire up to the core part and the hatch slides open then closes after he enters the cockpit. Black Dragon's red eyes light up as Keith does a systems check once shown that everything was operating normally, Keith grabs hold of the control sticks and directs his mighty NEXT to intercept the incoming threat. Vladimir looks left and right in search of his quarry.

Keith asked, "Looking for me?"

Vladimir sees Black Dragon hovering right in front of him with its WADOU grenade rifle deployed, "I see that you managed to make it through the AA defense system. However, this is as far as you will go. My friends are injured at the moment so you will have to deal with me in fact it's because of you that they're hurt so for that you will die."

He aims the grenade rifle at Black Widow but Vladimir said, "No, let's finish this with our close-range weapons." Black Widow pulls out its beam sickle and Black Dragon ignites the 07-Moonlight laser blade.

Black Widow moves forward then swings its beam sickle downward but is blocked by the 07-Moonlight then Black Dragon thrusts the beam sickle away before head butting its enemy causing Black Widow to move back slightly. Correcting itself Black Widow retaliates with a kick, Black Dragon quick boosts to the right to avoid it then kicks the foe to the ground. The street caves in from the enemy machine's immense weight. This part of the city has already been evacuated so Keith didn't have to worry about any innocent people getting caught in the cross fire however, that doesn't stop the media from their job as a news helicopter approaches the battling behemoths.

The female news reporter said, "This is Michelle from Virginia News bringing you this on the scene footage. We are right in the middle of a battle between two Armored Cores, the first one is clearly Black Dragon but the other's identity is unknown."

Serene wondered, "What the hell is that news helicopter doing? They can get killed! Attention, news helicopter you are flying in the danger zone leave the area at once. I repeat, leave the area." The chopper doesn't reply and Serene decides that she will file a complaint of Virginia News with the authorities when this battle's over.

Black Dragon accelerates toward the target and thrusts its open left hand in Black Widow's chest, sending it through a building also the force of Black Dragon's attack was so hard that pieces of armor fly off of the core part. When the dust clears half of Black Widow's body is covered with debris but that soon changed as it rose back up. A monitor shows Vladimir the scale of the core damage, a large gaping hole now occupies where the armor used to be. He is completely unaware that Keith plans on keeping him away from the hospital while simultaneously biding the surgeons enough time to complete the operation on Katrina and Canis.

On the Virginia News helicopter, Michelle said, "This is incredible the NEXT is completely overwhelmed by Black Dragon's power. Victory is only a matter of time." Black Widow tackles Black Dragon to the ground and the two roll around while trying to land a punch on each other.

Vladimir growled, "Die like all of my previous victims did!"

Keith retorted, "I am going to have to pass on that." Black Dragon tosses the foe off. Black Widow charges forward but Black Dragon scoops the NEXT with a tilt the world slam, not wasting a minute Black Dragon wraps its hands around Black Widow's neck and holds it above the ground before slamming the hostile back down with pure power. Spotting the nearby beam sickle, Keith gets an idea. He spots Black Widow aiming a kick to Black Dragon but Keith expected it. Black Dragon holds the leg, thwarting the attack before scooping Black Widow up and Tombstones the hostile head first into the ground. This buys Keith enough time to grasp the beam sickle and stabs it into the ground.

Michelle said, "That beam sickle is wedged into the ground, looks like the pilot of Black Dragon has evil intentions in mind." Lifting Black Widow back to its feet then places a hand around the throat and hoists Black Widow up then drives the enemy NEXT onto the beam sickle, making sure that the metal pole went through the core part at dead center including going through the cockpit.

'Oh my god did Black Dragon's pilot just…' Michelle mentally gasped.

With the threat now eliminated, Keith prepares to return to the hospital when Vladimir's laughter caught his attention, "I have never met a Lynx with the kind of intensity that you have. What's your name, boy?"

Keith answered, "Keith Oswell."

Vladimir stated, "You and I a lot alike, Keith. We both thrive on challenges and kill anyone that stands in our way."

Black Dragon pulls the beam sickle out and halved Black Widow then Keith said, "We are nothing alike we live by different codes. Never lay harm on the innocent. Never kill an enemy pilot unless they truly deserve it or are part of the mission. Fight for a noble and adjust cause. Watch each other's back. That is the code the Demons of Hell live by." Black Dragon flies by the Virginia News helicopter as Black Widow explodes. Keith returns to the hospital and just in time as the lead surgeon comes out of the ER. Katrina's parents were there waiting for the news, Keith guesses that they received word about their daughter.

Scott asked, "Well doctor, how did it go?"

The man informed, "The operation was a success. Katrina's injuries were severe and she lost quite a lot of blood but she'll recover. The injuries including a torn pectoral muscle in her right shoulder, a nasty laceration across her right temple, cracked femur and fractured elbow. She's lucky if she was brought in another hour later then she would've died from severe blood loss."

Selene sighed, "Thank goodness."

Keith added, "What about Canis? What were his injuries?"

The doctor turned to Keith, "Canis' injuries were a lot less serious than we first expected. He only had a few cuts and a partially torn tendon in his leg, the most serious injury was his dislocated shoulder that we managed to place back into its socket. Canis will be out of action for at least 8 weeks but Katrina will be out longer due to the amount of blood loss."

Scott asked, "Can we visit them?"

The man nodded, "Yes, you may." Keith pays Canis a visit first as Scott and Selene visited their daughter. Keith sees Canis in the hospital bed with the top half up for him to watch the TV while using his good arm to eat the food that was dropped off earlier. He sees his left shoulder in a sling to hold it steady so it can heal. His leg looks fine Keith assumes that surgeons injected some sort of healing agent designed for torn muscles and tendons though some discoloration remains but the 9-year old knows that the discoloration will fade over time.

Keith called out, "Hey, Canis."

Canis looked at his friend, "Hi, Keith."

Keith said, "I heard what the doctor said about your injuries."

Canis chuckled, "Yeah, I wasn't expecting them to be less severe than I first thought because I could've sworn they would. How's Katrina?"

The black-haired rank 1 Lynx frowned, "Katrina's injuries are severe. She has suffered a torn pectoral muscle in her right shoulder, laceration across her temple, cracked femur and fractured elbow. It was fortunate that she was brought in time because another hour later and the blood loss would have killed her. The doc said that you will be missing 8 weeks of action but Katrina will be out longer due to the amount of blood she lost. How long she will be out exactly is unknown. It's possible that she won't pilot a NEXT anymore."

Canis equally frowned, "Bummer. What about you, Keith? Are you hurt?"

Keith shook his head, "No, I'm okay."

The door to Canis' room opens up and Roy walked in, "Hey, Canis heard that you and Katrina were injured so I decided to stop by to visit. Hi Keith, I wasn't expecting you to be here."

Keith waved, "Hi, Roy. Where's Wynne D. Fanchon? The two of you looked to be inseparable because I usually see you together wherever you two went."

Roy answered, "She's currently out on a mission, something about destroying a production plant."

Canis cried, "Most likely the production plant that Keith took pictures of in the recon mission. Looks like Algebra has made its decision on what to do about it I just hope they know what they're doing because who knows if that Gamma 4 bio-chemical weapon will seep into the ground or enter a nearby stream where it can be carried into a town. The death toll in that town would be horrendous." A few minutes later, Keith gets up to pay Katrina visit. The hallway was quiet and Katrina's parents have gone home, Keith soon reaches his friend's room and opened the door. Katrina was watching TV when she hears the door so she turns her head to see who it is and her face lit up when she saw that it was Keith. Her forehead was bandaged up and right arm in a slang and cast. They used a healing agent to repair her cracked femur.

She beamed, "Keith!"

Keith smiled, "Hi, Katrina."

He closed the door and walked to her bedside, "I heard that your surgery was successful but..." He grabs a nearby chair and sits down.

Katrina lowered her head, "But there's the possibility that I won't be able to pilot an Armored Core anymore." She feels tears forming in her pretty violet eyes and she uses her left hand to cover them.

Keith said, "Katrina, look at me." She did so, "I have a confession to make. You see before you came into the picture, I was pretty much on my own in the streets. I had to kill and steal just to make it through the day, I know that it was wrong to do but what other choice did I have? The only person who showed compassion was a man named Kyle, who runs a little restaurant. He would provide me with a hot meal. I was very cautious around other people since they can be shady but Kyle was someone I could trust. My only source of shelter was underneath a flight of stairs to an apartment. That never kept me warm during cold, rainy nights though." By this time, tears were falling from Katrina's eyes as she hears Keith's confession to think that someone so young who lost his parents had to go through such hardship just to survive.

'Keith.' She thought sadly.

Keith went on, "Anyways, I felt that you needed to know that." He wonders what Katrina's reaction would be. She sits up and Keith feels himself pulled into a hug from Katrina, who wraps her usable arm around his back.

Katrina sobbed, "Keith, I'm so sorry about you having to go through that kind of hardship and loneliness. I can't blame you for not telling me sooner you had a good reason to do so." Keith carefully wraps his arms around her back as Katrina went on, "I promise you, Keith that you will never have to experience that kind of pain ever again. I'll be there for you from now on."

Keith smiled, "Thank you, Katrina you have no idea how happy that makes me." Katrina hears him chuckle and broke the embrace to look at him as he said, "This is ironic. Before, I was in this bed when I was injured while you were at my bedside but now the roles have been reversed."

Katrina chuckled, "Yes, that is ironic." She then grabbed Keith's hand, "I don't know what the future has in store for us but promise me that we face it together."

Her friend nodded, "You have my word. All three of us will face the future together. Just so you know Canis is doing great as well. It turns out his injuries were far less severe than first thought. The worst one was his dislocated shoulder though surgeons were able to put back into place. The doctor says that he will be out of action for 8 weeks while you will be out longer. He didn't say how long exactly."

Katrina shook her head, "It doesn't matter but I promise you that I'll heal up as fast as I can so that we go on more team missions."

Keith smiled, "You bet." Keith stays for a while before leaving to allow Katrina to rest and heal up. He promised that he'll stop by as much as he can, he returns to Collared and sits in the lounge as the news over Katrina and Canis being injured occurs.

There's an old saying: "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger." To Keith, this will only make the Demons of Hell stronger and much more dangerous than before.

A/N: Chapter 17 finally done. There's a reason for this late update. The reason is because on Wednesday of last week I had a nasty seizure that wiped me out, literally sapped the energy right out of me. Later that day I experienced the most throbbing head pain I've ever felt in my life and had a temperature of 103.2 degrees Fahrenheit, my head felt like it was being squeezed by bricks. I could literally feel my head pounding. Fortunately, the throbbing sensation stopped overnight. It then only hurt whenever I stood up, lied down or shift in my sleep but the good news is that I'm back at 100%.

Here, Katrina and Canis get injured as a result from their battle with those 5 enemy NEXTs but Keith showed that he values friendship and the well being of his friends over victory. Sometimes during a war, retreat is the best option because it allows you to regroup your forces, come up with a new plan and attend to the wounded.

Keith and Katrina continue to grow closer.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 18.

Vader 23A


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Traitors

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

After defeating Black Widow, Keith keeps the beam sickle as a trophy and oversaw the repairs to Red Angel and Savage Beast. He watches as the arm, leg and head is replaced and Savage Beast got another LANCEL head part and the AR-O700 assault rifle and LR04-AVIOR laser rifle. Like he promised, Keith visits Katrina whenever he could. Canis healed from his injuries much more quickly than the doctors expected and is released from the hospital but they told him not to pilot a NEXT for another day which upsets Canis because he enjoys piloting Savage Beast.

The doctors inform Keith that Katrina's injuries are halfway healed and they hope she'll continue with this speedy recovery. Keith sees Canis emit a sigh.

He asked, "What's wrong, Canis?"

Canis answered, "I want to start piloting Savage Beast again, Keith. It's boring being on the sidelines as you heal up from injuries!"

Keith stated, "Injuries are bound to happen, Canis no matter what job you have but yes it is boring being on the sidelines as you heal up."

Serene Haze came up to them, "Keith, there's an urgent mission you need to look at." Keith heads over to the briefing room and looks at the mission list, the one Serene's talking about was highlighted in red indicating how urgent it was. It was titled "Recover Capsule."

The briefing started, "Here's the mission. This request has come from GA America. Their arctic research vessel, Red Hawk, experienced fatal hull failure after an onboard mishap the ice flows are crushing the vessel and she is slowly sinking into the icy depths. The ship's crew was able to evacuate but there wasn't enough time to offload all the cargo it carried. The most important of which, a capsule, remains onboard. We have sent recovery teams to retrieve it but the ship's predicament and that the security system is still operational thwarted their efforts. It's not clear how long the ship will remain afloat but an attempt must be made to retrieve the capsule, we'll pay additional fees for the destruction of any of the less important cargo still onboard it's unlikely they will fall into enemy hands but we don't like taking chances." Immediately after boarding his Armored Core and transport plane, Keith heads out to the coast of Antarctica where the ship's location was confirmed. Once there, Black Dragon exits the plane and lands on Red Hawk's deck and spotted a panel that controlled the locks.

Serene informed, "You can enter through here but move fast, Keith we don't know how long the ship will stay afloat." A round from the OGOTO grenade cannon destroys the control panel, making the doors open Black Dragon then began descending into the bowels of the ship. The interior was wide enough for the NEXT to move through and soon encounters the security units protecting the target but Keith blasts his way through and passes through a set of large doors in a hallway.

An onboard announcement said, "Intruder detected, bringing all security elements online." Gun turrets emerge from the ceiling to prevent Keith from reaching the capsule but the 9-year old American doesn't let this stop him. He eventually reaches a final set of doors and once they parted the capsule was right in front of him, he automatically retrieves it.

Keith said, "I've retrieved the capsule, heading out now." Suddenly, he hears some bolts snap and water begins entering the hallway accompanied by the sound of groaning metal.

Serene told him, "Keith, the ship is starting to break up. Get out of there now!" She didn't have to tell him twice because Keith speeds up his efforts while the security units do everything they can to prevent him from escaping. He reaches the open doors he used to enter the vessel and boosted out of there and into the awaiting transport plane. The cargo bay door closes and it exits the combat zone. Keith watched as Red Hawk breaks in two and vanishes beneath the surface of the icy ocean. Once arriving back at Collared, the contents inside the capsule are analyzed by investigators while Keith relaxes in the lounge area. About 4 minutes in, his ears pick up the sound of footsteps approaching his location so he turns to look and to his surprise it's Brianna and Rebecca.

'What are they doing here?' He thought.

Brianna smiled, "Hi, Keith."

Keith asked, "What brings you two here?"

Rebecca giggled, "We've signed up to be NEXT pilots for Collared. This way, we can hang out together."

Keith stated sternly, "Brianna, Rebecca, this kind of job is no joke and has to be taken seriously. Your life is on the line all the time and even the simplest of missions can change in a heartbeat. Do your parents know of this?"

Brianna cried, "We lost them during the Lynx War when some madman completely destroyed the town we were living in. Since then Rebecca and I have been living in that orphanage but we have been secretly training to become Armored Core pilots."

Keith nodded in understanding, "I see. I'll ask you again, though. Are you sure that you two are ready to be full-fledged Lynx regardless of the risks involved?"

Brianna answered, "Yes, we accept the risks this job has."

Keith instructed, "You need to go the register guy in order to get your ID cards, after that you need to do simulation training. If you two pass that then you'll officially be NEXT pilots." He escorts to the register guy and he gave them blank ID cards, next they are ordered to have their pictures so they could be imprinted onto the cards. It only took a minute for the process to be complete. Keith directs them to the simulation room where the pods are located. After being a NEXT pilot for 3 years, Keith was very familiar with the layout of Collared so he knows where the simulation room is located. Rebecca and Brianna pass their simulation training with flying colors and were given the rank number of 21 and 23 since both Kamisori Johnny and Francois-Neris gave them up for reasons unknown. After that Keith directs them to their assigned room 250.

Once inside, Brianna and Rebecca start unpacking.

The next day, Canis is allowed to pilot his NEXT again. He selects the mission that Arisawa Heavy Industries had sent. In it, they requested a rescue attempt on one of their VIPs that got kidnapped by Omer Science Technology forces after attending an important meeting. The Omer forces had taken him to a military facility where they are planning on torturing him for information regarding the status of Arisawa Heavy Industries. Canis' objective was to find the VIP and bring him back alive. There's a 100,000 Credit reward for Canis if he succeeds and Takafumi told Canis not to disappoint them.

'Harsh.' He thought. Donning his g-suit, gloves, boots and helmet, Canis powers up Savage Beast and heads out for the mission.

Meanwhile, Keith has just received word that Katrina's fully healed and was just released from the hospital after being kept for just one more night for monitoring. She arrives at the hanger to see Red Angel fully repaired and ready for action. She suddenly feels someone tapping her shoulder, when she turns around she sees Keith standing there with a smile on his face.

He said, "Hey, Katrina. I was told that you got released from the hospital today."

Katrina nodded, "That's right, I did. I am also able to continue piloting Red Angel."

Keith cried, "I'm glad that you managed to recover things were dull around here during your absence."

The blue-haired girl blinked in surprised, "Really?"

Keith nodded, "Yep. There's just something about you that makes even the most boring things more fun. I think it's your caring and cheerful personality." The smile Keith's giving her made Katrina blush and it doesn't go unnoticed by Keith. However, this sweet moment is ruined by an alarm going off. They see Sherry about to run past them but Katrina grabbed her arm.

She asked, "What's going on?"

Sherry answered, "The storage hangers have come under attack."

Keith wondered, "Who would attack us?"

Sherry sighed, "The attackers are Neris and Kamisori." This floored Keith and Katrina. What would make Neris and Kamisori attack their own base? Keith and Katrina board their NEXTs and head over to the storage hangers.

A warning alarm inside Double Edge's cockpit alerts Johnny that he and Francois have company. They both turn their machines around in time as Black Dragon and Red Angel standing there.

Keith asked, "Neris, what's going on here? Why are you attacking your comrades?"

Francois replied, "Johnny and I are sick of doing the corporations' bidding so we're rebelling against them!"

Katrina stated, "But you two against all of the corporations? You wouldn't last long in a battle with them that would be suicide."

Johnny snapped, "Shut up, Katrina! What do you know of the feeling of being someone's slave?"

Keith interjected, "But what would destroying Collared prove?" Then it hit him, "Unless, you two plan on using its destruction as a declaration of war against the corporations!"

Francois chuckled, "You're pretty smart, Keith."

The black-haired boy shook his head, "Now I'm sorry to do this but attacking Collared was not a good idea. This is the only home I've got now and you plan on destroying it, plus we Ravens don't take treason lightly. It brings disgrace to our honor. Francois-Neris and Kamisori Johnny, you are charged for treason and you will be stripped of your license to pilot a NEXT."

Johnny laughed, "Go ahead and try to stop us." Buccaneer cocks its laser cannon arms while Double Edge readies its weaponry as well.

Savage Beast continues its stealth approach towards the base where the VIP is by using a ravine since Takafumi Arisawa informed Canis that the base has some of the latest anti-NEXT weaponry that can tear a NEXT apart. So the safest the way to approach the base was to use a ravine located nearby to move in undetected and enter the base through the back. Canis eventually reaches the end of the gorge and enters the base from the back. To his surprise, there are no guards and it was an excellent spot to hide his machine. Canis disembarks from Savage Beast and commences his rescue mission after entering the base little did he know of what was happening back at Collared.

Double Edge begins its attack on Black Dragon by attempting to move erratically, this prevents Keith from gaining a lock-on. However, Keith recognizes this type of strategy Starka uses this same tactic but Johnny added a new twist by trying to attack from behind. Unfortunately Keith refuses to have Johnny take pleasure in catching him by surprise. Black Dragon quickly whips around to block Double Edge's Kojima blade with the 07-Moonlight before countering with a kick.

Johnny asked, "How did you know that I was planning on attacking you from behind?"

Keith answered, "Because Do Su uses that same tactic. You hope to keep your enemy from gaining a lock by moving around and finish them off with a single strike of your blade. You need to be more creative with me, Johnny because relying on the same tactic over and over again will end up getting you killed."

Red Angel effortlessly avoids a round from Buccaneer's laser cannon arms then fires back with the HLC09-ACRUX. Buccaneer ducks as the beam passes over but they left scorch marks on its shoulder. The tank-legged NEXT fires its shotgun back unit at Red Angel the Primal Armor absorbs most of the damage and Buccaneer attempts to ram into its opponent but Red Angel stops it as the red Armored Core skids back a bit, its feet producing a terrible screeching noise as they grind against the pavement. Firing up its main boosters, Red Angel does a back flip kick that propels Buccaneer back.

Close by, Brianna and Rebecca were busy dealing with a bunch of Normals that are attacking supply hangers. The structures were ablaze as firefighters struggle to put out the flames because they know that there's ammunition in there and if it explodes then the hangers would be flattened.

The fire chief ordered, "Keep those flames away from the ammunition depot!"

A fellow fireman said, "Chief, the ammo is getting too hot the water's having little effect on it. The depot looks like it's going to blow at any second!"

The fire chief barked, "Everyone, pull back! Pull back! The ammo is about to blow!" The firefighters turn off their hoses and drop them before evacuating the area as the ammo blows up, sending a huge column of black smoke into the air. The men get back up after being knocked off their feet by the blast wave. From their position Brianna and Rebecca could see the smoke column and were about to head over to provide support for the firefighters but a Normal restrains Violet in a vice-like hold.

Brianna growled, "Let me go, you pile of scrap! I said let go!" Violet starts to try and break out of the Normal's hold but the Normal won't release its hold this only serves to irritate Brianna more until Rebecca comes to her rescue by launching a rocket at the enemy's head. Now completely blind the hostile machine loosens its grip and Violet thrusts the Normal off then turned around and Brianna goes trigger happy, filling every Normal within her sight full of lead, only to stop once the Gatling gun arms run out of ammo and the barrels smoking. One Normal sneaks up behind Brianna but she quickly turns her NEXT around and unleashes the slug gun on it, the foolish enemy falls with holes in its chest.

Rebecca scolded, "Sister, you do realize that I was out here too, right? You could've turned me into Swiss cheese, you bone head!" Her face appeared on a monitor. Brianna could swear that steam's coming off of Rebecca's head.

Brianna rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Sorry about that. I went a little crazy there, please forgive me."

Rebecca crossed her arms, "If you weren't my sister, I would leave you a broken and bloody mess."

Brianna sighed in relief, "Thank you, Rebecca. I promise that I won't do that again." Though she hasn't told anyone but Rebecca can be pretty scary when she gets angry, so scary that Brianna wouldn't want to be in the same room with her. They head over to the firefighters and assist them.

Double Edge crashes through an empty hanger and Johnny had no time to react as the right arm is blown off courtesy from Black Dragon's WADOU grenade rifle then Keith switches to the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and upon obtaining a lock, he unleashes a swarm of them along with support missiles from the NEMEHA-01 shoulder units. The projectiles hit home and wipe out virtually all of Double Edge's AP.

Johnny seethed, "You brat!" Igniting the main boosters Double Edge draws its Kojima blade and Black Dragon mirrors the enemy's action. They both speed toward one another and their blades collide as bolts of energy form. They enter a test of strength but it becomes clear that Black Dragon was the stronger of the two as the black Armored Core shoves Double Edge away. Their blades lock up again but it ends with the same result. Kamisori was stunned to see that Keith can pilot Black Dragon expertly without using the AMS.

During his initial days as a Lynx, Keith didn't heed the dangers of overusing the AMS and as a result of this he suffered headaches that gradually grew worse. After they became migraine-like Keith had stopped using it except in dire situations. This served as a lesson to Keith that the AMS puts a lot of strain on the human mind and could lead to intense head pain though he wasn't sure if it'd cause brain damage. Safe to say, he didn't want to find out.

Keith asked, "Do you give up?"

Johnny replied, "Never!" Double Edge kicks Black Dragon to the ground before taking off to a different location.

Neris breathes heavily as sweat pours down his face from all of the evasive maneuvers Katrina made him do.

He demanded, "Just what are you? Tell me!"

Katrina answered with a dark grin, "Your worst nightmare. I'm one half of the Demons of Hell. Unless you want to experience more why I'm called that, I would suggest you surrender." Fear and exhaustion start to play with Neris' mind. The image of Red Angel is replaced with a creature from the fiery pits of hell itself. He screams in terror.

Neris exclaimed, "I surrender! I surrender!"

Katrina smiled sweetly, "See? Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

Brianna and Rebecca help the firefighters contain the burning ammunition when an alarm warns Rebecca that an enemy is approaching their location. She looks to her right and saw Double Edge speeding towards them. Its Kojima blade was armed and ready to tear something apart and that something was Rebecca and the others. But before the tip even touches them, Double Edge is stopped by an axe kick from Black Dragon and the Armored Core keeps its foe down by placing a foot on Double Edge's back. Kamisori refuses to surrender so his fires up the main boosters at full power and escapes Black Dragon's hold. The enemy NEXT readies its blade again and Black Dragon's 07-Moonlight is poised to strike.

Johnny said, "Ready to die? This is the end for you, Keith. If you have anything to say, do it now." He got no reply, "Fine then. I'll make sure that Katrina joins you in the afterlife." The two close in and strike simultaneously then land. For a brief moment there's no movement from either of them then suddenly Double Edge's remaining arm falls off followed by a leg and the hostile tumbles to the ground with Black Dragon standing tall as the victor. The 07-Moonlight deactivates and the Armored Core turns around so Keith can look at his downed opponent.

Later that day, Johnny and Neris are both charged for treason and attempting mass murder thereby, they are stripped of their piloting license and sentenced to execution. They are taken to a training field and blindfolded. A firing squad stand ready armed with fully loaded M-4s.

The commander barked, "Men, fire on my command! Ready, take aim, fire!" They fire their guns at the same time and without hesitation. The traitors fall to the ground dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The commander ordered the men to cease fire, which they did.

Buccaneer and Double Edge are melted down and their pilots' info was erased from Collared's data banks. Canis returns to Collared upon completion of his rescue mission and he takes in the sight of the destroyed storage hangers. He asked Keith what happened and the American filled him in on what happened in his absence. Canis had two emotions running through him. The first was the fact that he missed out on the party. The second one was anger over Francois-Neris and Kamisori Johnny's betrayal and their attempt of destroying Collared.

That night, Brianna and her younger sister lay in their beds watching TV inside their assigned room.

Rebecca asked, "Hey sister, what became of those traitor pilots?"

Brianna replied, "From what Keith told me, they were executed by a firing squad."

Rebecca raised her eyebrows, "Really? Did Keith see it happen?"

Her older sister replied nonchalantly, "Yeah and no, Keith didn't watch it happen. He's been a pilot for 3 years so he knows that treason is the biggest disgrace to our honor as Ravens. Neris and Johnny's execution was swift so they didn't feel a thing."

In their room, Keith's reading a sci-fi book while Katrina is fast asleep. Flipping another page Keith's mind plays through today's events yet there is one thing that he couldn't understand was what Jonny and Neris said.

Flashback 

_Keith asked, "Neris, what's going on here? Why are you attacking your comrades?" _

_Francois replied, "Johnny and I are sick of doing the corporations' bidding so we're rebelling against them!" _

_Katrina stated, "But you two against all of the corporations? You wouldn't last long in a battle with them that would be suicide." _

_Johnny snapped, "Shut up, Katrina! What do you know of the feeling of being someone's slave?" _

_Keith interjected, "But what would destroying Collared prove?" __Then it hit him, "Unless, you two plan on using its destruction as a declaration of war against the corporations!" _

_Francois chuckled, "You're pretty smart, Keith." _

End of flashback 

'What did Johnny mean by not knowing what it felt like to be someone's slave?' He wondered. Keith reads a few more pages before placing the bookmark in and closing the book, he next turns off the lights to the room and shut his eyes to sleep. The black-haired boy can't help but shake the feeling that another war between the corporations will happen again and death and destruction will rain down across the world once again.

A/N: Okay, chapter 18 done. It's amazing how fast March has passed by because this Friday will be April 1.

Brianna and Rebecca have joined Collared and revealed a little about this past. How will their lives play out now?

Francois-Neris and Kamisori Johnny turned their backs on their fellow pilots and tried to destroy Collared but they failed. They ultimately paid the price for their crime. Goes to show you that betrayal can come from where you least expect it.

Both Canis and Katrina have recovered from their injuries and are ready for action again.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 19.

Vader 23A


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Ominous Warning and a New War

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The date is January 10, 2007 and Keith, now 10, has been a Lynx for 4 years. He and Katrina continue to grow closer to each other every day with Keith sometimes staring at Katrina with admiration but quickly averted his gaze before Katrina knew that he was looking at her.

Katrina wasn't doing so well herself about Keith. She's lately been having pleasant dreams about them as young adults having a picnic or such but the dreams ended just as their lips were about to meet. Thinking about it made her blush. Was it possible that Katrina loved Keith? Was he that special someone she would fall in love with in her early teens like Shirley said?

Keith notices that his friend looked like she is in another place.

Keith shook her, "Katrina? Hey, Katrina, wake up!" That brings her back to reality.

Katrina blinked, "What?"

The black-haired pilot said, "Are you okay? You looked like you were spacing out."

Katrina smiled, "Oh, I was just thinking. I'm fine really." Though Keith's skeptical about her answer, he leaves it at that. All of the personnel at Collared respect Keith not only as the rank 1 Lynx but also as one of them even the public sees him in a different light now. Keith formed programs dedicated to the development of new medicine for deadly diseases like Kojima poisoning, which has spiked rapidly over the past 3 years in people of all ages.

Looking through the mission list he soon finds a mission that looked really dangerous because it has a 10 star ranking. The client was TORUS and they were asking for Keith to eliminate a group of NEXTs that have been attacking cities in Belgium over the past few weeks. Their targets were Medusa, a medium two-legged model, Viper, another two-legged medium, and Red Widow, also a two-legged medium. Together, they are called the "Harbingers of Death." Keith's objective is to find and completely destroy them. Since he will obviously be facing more than one opponent, the client has advised the use of support NEXTs for this operation. Keith accepts the mission and gets ready. Katrina and Canis meet him halfway to the hanger after Keith told them that he will be doing this mission. Brianna and Rebecca wanted to come along but Keith told them that the mission was too dangerous for them and they still need time to learn about the whole performance and mission difficulty rating. Rebecca pouted and Brianna assured her younger sister that they will get their shot at the tougher missions soon they just needed to be patient.

Keith, Katrina and Canis board their Armored Cores and a transport plane takes them to the city that will most likely be attacked next.

Canis asked, "So, Keith what team mission are we doing this time?"

Keith answered, "We're going to face a group of NEXT pilots known as the Harbingers of Death."

Katrina stated, "I've heard stories about them they're said to be extremely dangerous and took pleasure in bringing death and destruction. Many brave pilots have attempted to stop them but they all suffered a gruesome fate."

Keith informed, "Our mission is to find and destroy them. We are currently on our way to the next Belgium city that will be attacked. Do you guys have anything to say before this mission gets underway?"

Canis closed his eyes, smiling, "We've lost our minds, going to face death itself but if we succeed, we will be hailed as heroes by the Belgium people."

Katrina chuckled, "Couldn't have said it better myself." They suddenly receive a transmission from the pilot.

He said, "We have arrived at the target area, opening cargo bay doors. Radar has detected those enemy pilots you have been ordered to destroy. Move out!" He watched them descend, "Good luck down there, Demons of Hell." As he leaves the area of operations he sees buildings burning in the distance to his right that meant the enemy NEXTs have begun their attack.

Down on the ground, Keith, Katrina and Canis commence the mission by scanning the area for the Harbingers of Death little did they know that they have already been detected by the said group.

One of them said, "Hey, Alexandra, look!"

Alexandra smiled sinisterly, "Ah, the Demons of Hell. I have been hearing rumors about them. Apparently they are the most feared NEXT team on the battlefield, their fighting skills and team work is so fearsome it's like you are actually facing demons from the fiery depths of hell. This is perfect! They can provide a worthy challenge! Let's move, girls!"

Back with Keith and his team mates, the scanning continues to locate their targets but so far no such luck.

Canis asked, "Do you think the Intel was wrong? Besides from all of these burning buildings, it's quiet, too quiet." As if to prove him wrong, Black Dragon's radar picks up three blips closing in fast then they land with authority fracturing the ground and generating a big cloud of dust. Through the cloud, Keith, Katrina and Canis can see a pair of sickly green eyes boring holes into them and it actually intimidated Canis while Keith and Katrina show no fear. When the dust cloud cleared, the Harbingers of Death are revealed. It looks like the Intel was correct.

The enemy leader was obviously Viper. It was colored a menacing dark purple, sickly green eyes and its armament included a GAN01-WGP Gatling gun, EB-R500 laser blade, HLC09-SIRIUS high laser cannon and an MP-O091 PM missile launcher. An emblem of a viper rested on the NEXT's left shoulder. The snake was coiled and had its mouth open, exposing its fangs like it's about to strike. The NEXT had its arms crossed.

The second NEXT named Medusa was colored charcoal gray, had a yellow eye and was armed with a bazooka, EB-R500 laser blade, an OGOTO grenade cannon and rocket launcher. The emblem of the mythical creature rested on the left shoulder as well.

The third member of the group, Red Widow, was colored blood red, menacing purple eyes and was equipped with twin rapid fire machine guns, a slug gun, YASMIN flare shoulder units and WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher. Its emblem was in the shape of a black hourglass and unlike the first two, it was situated on the right shoulder.

Alexandra said with that same sinister smile, "Ah, Demons of Hell. We meet at last. Are you three ready to die?" They hear Black Dragon, Red Angel and Savage Beast cock their weapons and prepare to destroy their targets.

Katrina said, "You must be the Harbingers of Death that Keith was informed about in the mission briefing. I must say you look uglier in person than in a picture."

Alexandra sneered, "How dare you call us ugly! Melinda, Suzuki, you deal with Keith's partners, Keith is all mine!" The three enemy NEXTs stare down at their selected opponents.

Keith ordered, "Katrina, Canis, these three could prove to be our most dangerous opponents yet. The client has requested us to completely destroy them."

_"The secret side of me, I never let you see.  
I keep it caged but I can't control it.  
So stay away from me, the beast is ugly. _  
_I feel the rage and I just can't hold it. _

Viper locks onto Black Dragon with the MP-O091 PM missile launcher and fires but Black Dragon avoids the incoming projectiles with ease before retaliating with the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher. A swarm of missiles come roaring toward Viper and the dark purple NEXT takes evasive action and the missiles crash into nearby buildings. The two combatants enter a tie up then Black Dragon shoves Viper away, taking Alexandra a bit by surprise. Alexandra does her best imitation of a hissing snake to scare Keith but it doesn't work and Keith does his own imitation of a dragon's roar, taunting his foe. That got under Alexandra's skin and Viper races toward Black Dragon only to find it being back body dropped by the black Armored Core. Alexandra felt it because she developed a new neural interface system that connects the pilot to their machine's CPU to increase reactionary time but it also meant that the pilot felt every hit his/her Armored Core felt so she feels pain in her back from the impact. Viper gets to its feet and unleashes the HLC09-SIRIUS, Black Dragon dodges it and the beam soars past the mighty NEXT and demolishes a small restaurant.

_It's scratching on the walls. _  
_In the closet, in the halls. _  
_It comes awake and I can't control it. _  
_Hiding under the bed. _  
_In my body, in my head. _  
_Why won't somebody come and save me from this? _  
_Make it end! _

_I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _  
_I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster!_

_My secret side I keep, hid under lock and key. _  
_I keep it caged but I can't control it. _  
_'Cause if I let him out, _  
_He'll tear me up, break me down _  
_Why won't somebody come and save me from this? _  
_Make it end! _

Red Angel and Medusa fight with their EB-R500 laser blades and they are creating quite a mess to their surroundings. Red Angel ducks a blade strike aimed for its head and upper cuts Medusa sending its charcoal gray opponent flying onto its back and after Medusa gets up, it's hit by Red Angel's HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon taking a portion of the enemy's AP away. Becoming incensed Melinda speeds her NEXT to Katrina only to run into a spinebuster, following it up Red Angel throws Medusa through a building. Red Angel stares at the gaping hole with glowing cobalt blue eyes. Suddenly debris explodes everywhere as Medusa glares hatefully at Red Angel.

Melinda growled, "You bitch! That's it I'm going to skin you alive!" The hostile goes to the top of a 10 story building and jumps off for a clothesline but gets countered by Red Angel's own clothesline that could've taken Medusa's head off. Getting even more pissed off, Medusa speared its opponent and started throwing lefts and rights until it is tossed off of the red Armored Core and Red Angel sitting up. The two combatants fire both the OGOTO grenade cannon and HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon, the rounds collide and explode generating a powerful gust of wind that blew any loose debris everywhere. Red Angel runs forward but this time Medusa throws the foe over its head in a back body drop and Red Angel lands on its side. Growing cocky, Melinda directs her machine over to the downed opponent little did she know that Red Angel was watching her approach with those cobalt blue eyes. When Medusa bends over, Red Angel trips Medusa and blasts the target with the high laser cannon, causing Medusa to fall backwards. Red Angel walks over and plants a foot onto the charcoal gray NEXT's chest and charges up the HLC09-ACRUX for a death blow.

Katrina said, "This is the end for you. Good-Bye!" Medusa sits up and points the weapon upward making the laser miss its intended target. Looks like Melinda just won't quit.

_I feel it deep within, _  
_it's just beneath the skin! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _  
_I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _  
_I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster!_

Savage Beast avoids a shower of bullets from Red Widow's rapid fire machine guns and counters with the AR-O700 assault rifle and LR04-AVIOR laser rifle. Savage Beast then closes the distance between it and Red Widow and kicks the enemy in the side of its face. Wasting no time the desert yellow, black striped Armored Core fires the BM05-LAMIA AS missile launcher at Red Widow the projectiles score a direct hit on the target.

'I can't believe it! Has our ruthlessness and aggression been outmatched by the Demons of Hell? No, what am I saying? We are the Harbingers of Death the most ruthless NEXT team there is! I refuse to lose to a kid!' Suzuki thought.

Black Dragon and Viper continue their relentless assault on one another with their laser blades as a ring of fire traps them inside it. The flames were burning at a staggering 3,034 degrees Fahrenheit, the melting point of titanium but the armor that Black Dragon has is made out of titanium and depleted uranium. This allows the armor to withstand temperatures from 6,568 to -340 degrees Fahrenheit. Also thanks to really powerful cooling systems, the systems or the pilot won't overheat. Black Dragon blocks a diagonal strike and drives Viper back with the back of the WADOU grenade rifle. He hears Alexandra laugh like a maniac.

She said, "Do you think this period of calm will last, Keith? Another war will always happen it's a part of mankind. This is what allowed the rise and fall of many empires and civilizations throughout the course of human history. This period of calm will soon come to an end, boy. Smoke will fill the sky, buildings will burn, death and destruction will rain down upon the land, and blood will be spilled and the cries of the innocent dying echo throughout the sky. Oh, it will be music to my ears."

Keith fired back, "You are absolutely sadistic! There is no way I am going to let you spill the blood of more innocent people!" A hard kick from Black Dragon sends Viper rocketing into the sky and Black Dragon immediately follows like a shark tasting blood. Black Dragon wraps its arms around Viper and the two started spiraling downward to the ground in what Keith called it the Spiral of Death. Viper's head is violently driven head first into the ground and Black Dragon backs off to wait for any reaction from its foe. By this time, Black Dragon's armor was glowing red hot because of the extreme heat from the fire.

Alexandra laughed psychotically, "Is that the best you can do, Keith?" She frees her machine's head out of the ground and looked at her opponent, "Are you toying with me because I'm not amused. Come on, show me the same brutality that you showed Otsdarva when you defeated him."

Keith said, "Be careful what you ask for because you'll just might get it. Katrina, Canis, let's show them why we are called the Demons of Hell."

Canis grinned, "Works for me. I was getting tired of not going all out."

Katrina agreed, "You got it, Keith."

_It's hiding in the dark, its teeth are razor sharp. _  
_There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart! _  
_No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream. _  
_Or maybe it's inside of me! Stop this monster! _

_I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin! _  
_I must confess that I- FEEL LIKE A MONSTER! _  
_I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _  
_I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _

_I'm gonna lose control, it's something radical! _  
_I must confess that I feel like a monster! _

_I, I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster! _  
_I, I feel like a monster!"_

Red Widow fires the WHEELING-01 but Savage Beast releases flares to direct the missiles from it and Red Widow uses this as a distraction to clothesline Savage Beast only to have it be turned into a powerslam. Savage Beast then drives its knee into the enemy's face chaining the attack Savage Beast fires both of its guns as it takes to the air. Suzuki feels every hit then the pain doubles as another swarm of missiles from the BM05-LAMIA AS hit. Altering his aim slightly, Canis destroys both of Red Widow's machine guns before placing both of its guns onto latches on Savage Beast's hips. The clamps lock the weapons in place to keep them from falling off. Activating its overed booster Savage Beast swiftly closes in on its opponent and delivers a series of punches and kicks then ends it with a missile strike from both the BM05-LAMIA AS and MP-O6011JC PM. Red Widow gets back to its feet though it had difficulty doing so. All of a sudden, Suzuki flees in an attempt to escape her fate but Canis keeps up with her. They soon play a game of hide and seek inside the burning city. Red Widow pokes its head out from the building it's hiding behind to see that her enemy is nowhere to be found. She is completely oblivious to the fact that she was being watched from the top of a tall building, Savage Beast looks at its prey as Canis waits for the perfect moment to strike. When he sees it, Savage Beast jumps off the roof and starts descending.

Suzuki sighed in relief, "I think I lost him." Fate had other plans. A warning alarm tells her to look up and she sees Savage Beast falling from the sky with all of its weapons blazing, ballistic and laser rounds rain down on Red Widow scoring huge amounts of damage on its frame. The red Armored Core knelt down and Suzuki looks up to see Savage Beast pointing its laser rifle at her.

Canis said, "You are terminated!"

Suzuki screamed, "Noooooo!" Canis pulls the trigger and a laser round goes through the chest and hits the generator. Savage Beast backs up in time as Red Widow explodes in a shower of flames and metal fragments.

Alexandra stares at the monitor showing hers and her friends' vital signs when all of a sudden Suzuki's flat lines.

Keith stated the obvious, "Looks like Canis won his match against Suzuki."

Enraged by this, Alexandra speeds toward her adversary, "You son of a bitch! You will die the most painful, gruesome death ever imagined!" Her advance is cut short when Black Dragon's hand grabs a hold of Viper's head and steam results from the contact. Alexandra screams in agony.

Keith said, "You should've realized that when we Demons of Hell go all out, it would take an act of God for you to make it out of this alive." Black Dragon throws its opponent into the air and follows then delivers a nasty axe kick that sends Viper crashing to the ground.

His opponent groaned, "Ow."

Red Angel stands on top of the same 10 story building holding its enemy then Red Angel wraps its hand around Medusa's throat and proceeds to chokeslam Medusa off the roof down to the ground. The charcoal gray Armored Core impacts the pavement with a violent and earth shaking thud. Melinda's eyes snap open and let out a painful gasp as the excruciating sensation surges throughout her entire body.

Katrina asked, "Tell me what you fear the most your own death or the shame of defeat?"

Melinda whimpered, "Please. Have mercy on me!"

Katrina said venomously, "Mercy? You didn't show any to those innocent people you slaughtered like animals, did you? I'll make sure you end up good and dead so all those slaughtered people have fun torturing you!" After saying that Katrina blinks in shock, she has never sounded so murderous before in her life though it was justified here. Red Angel's EB-R500 activates and is raised then slices right through Medusa like a knife through butter then the enemy explodes to smithereens.

Melinda's vital signs flat line as well and that leaves only Alexandra.

Black Dragon lifts Viper up and does a gorilla press then turns it into a slam. Alexandra looks up in time to see Black Dragon reaching for something on its back and when the machine finds it, the object is revealed to Keith's enemy.

Alexandra gasped, "That's Black Widow's beam sickle! So it was you who murdered my big brother Vladimir Kamchatka!"

Keith replied, "So you must be his little sister Alexandra Kamchatka. Well, Vladimir and his goons could've ended Canis and Katrina's career as NEXT pilots so he got what he deserved." The beam sickle ignites.

Alexandra growled, "You American dog!" Black Dragon accelerates toward Viper and thrusts its free hand into Viper's chest with a loud crash, its pilot felt that one as she coughs up blood that splatters onto the controls.

Keith informed, "Perhaps that neural interface system was not a wise choice now burn in hell, Harbingers of Death." Black Dragon pulls back and raises the beam sickle and with a mighty swing, the beam sickle cuts Viper in half and it explodes in mid-air.

Serene stated, "Confirmed all targets have been destroyed, mission complete. You guys are becoming quite the team, huh?" The Demons of Hell regroup in the middle of the street as a monsoon happens, dumping rain onto the burning buildings. The raindrops turn into steam as they cool Black Dragon's hot armor with a hiss. Soon the color changes from red hot to black. This monsoon also helps in extinguishing raging fires. Keith hears the communicator beep indicating that he's receiving an incoming transmission. The ID signature was confirmed as the Prime Minister of Belgium.

He said through English translation, "Demons of Hell, I must thank you for destroying those fiends. They have caused Asia nothing but trouble over the past few months with their merciless attacks. The people and I are forever grateful to you three." Keith can hear the Belgium people chanting their name before the Prime Minister spoke again, "You will be hailed from this day forward as heroes all over Asia."

Katrina smiled, "Thank you, sir we're just doing our job as Lynx. We must be on our way now." The transport plane that brought them here returns to pick them up. Black Dragon, Red Angel and Savage Beast board the craft and leave Belgium. Nightfall comes just the transport lands on the runway at Collared. After placing their NEXTs in the hanger, Keith and his two consorts receive the 500,000 Credit reward for completing the mission. The group was stunned when they hear that. The Harbingers of Death must have been that notorious to have such a high bounty on their heads.

The next day is eerily quiet like the calm before the storm since there are no missions available at the moment and that Keith suddenly disappears without leaving a note or telling someone. Katrina thinks up of possible places he could be at until one comes to her mind.

Keith wanders in the Virginia Cemetery; this is the first time he's been at a graveyard littered with tombstones. He then sees two tombstones ahead of him and Keith heads over until they come into better view when he arrives, his mouth falls open when he realizes that he was staring at the tombstones of his parents, Ryan and Serena Oswell.

Katrina looks all over the cemetery until she spots someone and discovers that it is Keith on his knees with his head down.

She immediately ran over to him and knelt beside him, "Keith." When the boy turns his head to look at her, Katrina gasped. Tears were beginning to form in his deep blue eyes and she briefly directs her gaze at the tombstones in front of her then back to Keith again.

Keith choked, "Katrina…." Katrina held Keith close and that made him sob, "Why? Why, Katrina? Why did Mom and Dad have to die? They were still young and in their prime! They hadn't reached 40 yet!" Keith's crying has an effect on Katrina as she feels tears of her own running down her face like she was feeling Keith's pain. She caressed his black hair as Keith continues to cry.

She said, "I don't know, Keith but everyone has to die someday, that's the rule of life for there cannot be life without death. I never got the chance to meet Ryan and Serena but I'm sure if they were still alive right now and saw how you have grown, I swear they would be proud. Nobody can take that away from you." Keith sobbed harder as Katrina continued, "You don't have to keep it all bottled up inside you, Keith having emotions makes us human. You are not alone I'm here for you."

Keith cried, "I have never cried this much before in my life. The tears won't stop!"

Katrina replied, "It's alright, Keith you don't have to be tough around me. Go on and let your tears out, you'll feel better afterward." Keith finally wraps his arm around his close friend as his tears keep falling. Katrina gently pads his back like a mother would to her child. After what seems like an eternity, the blue-haired girl can feel Keith starting to calm down as his crying lessened until finally he stops and pulls his head from Katrina's shoulder.

Keith smiled, "Thank you, Katrina."

Katrina smiled back, "No problem. Come on, let's head back to Collared." Keith nods and they return to the base in time to see Wynne D. Fanchon and Roy Saaland walking up to them.

Fanchon asked, "Where were you, Keith?"

Roy looked at her, "Calm down, Wynne D., Jesus Christ."

Keith said, "I just visited my parents' gravesite at the Virginia Cemetery, Wynne."

Fanchon blinked in surprise, "What? You found out where they were buried?" Keith nods in confirmation.

Roy said, "I hope you are done crying, Keith."

Katrina asked, "Why?"

Roy donned a serious look, "The corporations have just declared war on one another." He saw Keith and Katrina look at each other, "I'm not joking, I heard it myself."

Keith stated, "Looks like Alexandra was right. The horrors of war have returned and that means death and destruction will follow. We must be prepared because this might a much more devastating war than the Lynx War."

A/N: That's chapter 19 done. Another war has finally happened after 3 years of peace. War is always bound to happen no matter what the cause might be.

Keith, Katrina and Canis fought another famous NEXT team and I used a burning city to make it foreboding. The song I used was Monster by Skillet from the album "Awake" since I thought it would fit in the confrontation between two feared NEXT teams. Monster is a wicked song and one of the best by Skillet. Those guys rock alongside Linkin Park.

Keith found his parents gravesite. I was at first thinking of doing it in the next chapter but I changed my mind and did it here.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 20.

Vader 23A


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Recovering Black Dragon and Savage Beast

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The Demons of Hell are now in their early teens with Keith at age 13 and Katrina and Canis at 14. As the years went by, they did wonders for the three.

Keith was taller at 5'4 and his physique had improved greatly, it was more muscular and defined including his biceps. He kept his hair length above his ears.

Like Keith, Canis was taller at 5'6.5 and improved build.

Katrina turned into a beautiful teen with a nice body that had womanly curves, a toned stomach, blue hair that now reached the middle of her back with a pair of bangs framing the sides of her pretty face, stood at 5'4 and a chest that was filling out nicely. Keith even called her a goddess one time and that earned him a blush from Katrina and her thanking him for the compliment with a smile.

Keith and his close friend are busy overseeing the construction of a nuclear power plant that's planning on using fusion as a source of energy. Unlike fission which results from the splitting of atoms, nuclear fusion is where two elements come together and fuse to create a heavier element and release huge amounts of energy. This type of nuclear reactions is what powers stars like the Sun and the destructive power of an H-bomb but just like fission, nuclear fusion has certain requirements to be met. For fusion to happen, it requires extreme temperatures and pressures for the nuclear reactions to take place.

Keith said, "It's amazing how fast time flies when you're doing something."

Katrina nodded, "Indeed. I still can't believe that it's February 13, 2011 and 3 years since the Economic War started. Once this power plant is completed, it will be the first one to harness nuclear fusion for electrical purposes. What element are they using as fuel?"

Keith answered, "Hydrogen, the lightest and most common element in the universe. Our job is pretty much to guard the plant as it is being built according to our client GA America." Then Keith remembers something.

Flashback 

_Keith was busy applying a new coat of paint to Black Dragon when Canis told him that Collared was planning on having a party. _

_Keith looked at his friend, "What? Collared's having a party tonight?" _

_Canis nodded, "Yeah, it's to celebrate Collared's 16 years of service." __He handed Keith an invitation, "Here, this is for the party make sure not to lose it. Oh yeah, make sure to bring someone."_

End of flashback

As time passes by, no enemy activity is detected and the nuclear plant was finally completed and it would begin operations next month so until then, staff and plant operators can be hired and trained to control the fusion reactor. With their mission complete, Keith and Katrina return to Collared and receive the Credit reward before Keith heads over to the shooting gallery for target practice. He picks up a pistol and loads a clip into it then sets the number of targets to 40. He pulls the trigger but no bullet comes out so he tries again but again nothing happens and Keith checks the weapon for any lack of lubrication or if something had jammed the pistol but everything seems to be alright. Keith fires once more and this time something happens but not in a good way. The gun experiences a fire mishap and sparks erupt from the weapon and Keith drops the weapon. The boy smells something burning and quickly realizes that his hair was on fire. Apparently sparks from the mishap got onto his hair and ignited. The flames rapidly burn the strands and soon come into contact with the skin on the back of his neck. Keith looks left and right for something to put the flames and soon found a bucket of cold water. He swiftly picks the bucket up and flips it over, dumping the water over his head. They doused the flames and now Keith only felt a painful stinging sensation along with the horrible smell of his charred skin. He sees a doctor who immediately examines the burn and grimly informs him that the hair follicles on the back of his neck have been severely burnt and as a result hair would most likely no longer be growing there. Keith would be lucky if a few strands grow back.

The doctor treats the burn with disinfectant alcohol then some ointment and finished the treatment with a rectangular-shaped bandage that covers the entire wound. Keith thanks him and left the infirmary.

Katrina returns to their assigned room and picks out what to wear for the party tonight. She can't decide on what to wear and it makes her yell in frustration, the yell did not go unheard. Wynne D. Fanchon was walking down the hallway when she heard Katrina yell.

She knocked on the door, "Katrina? It's me, Wynne D. Fanchon." The door slid open, "Are you okay because I heard you screaming from outside."

Katrina blushed in embarrassment, "You heard that? I'm so embarrassed!"

Fanchon asked, "So what were you doing?"

Katrina answered, "I'm trying to pick what to wear for the party to celebrate Collared's 16th anniversary but I am stuck."

Fanchon informed, "I can help you with that. Let's go clothes shopping on the main floor and see what they have available and take some dancing lessons since you're going to need them tonight." They first put the picked out clothes back in the drawers then head for the elevator that will to the first floor.

Keith enters the hanger to discover that Black Dragon and Savage Beast are not there, he looks over to the control room and saw Canis interrogating the operator. He enters the room just in time as the operator crashes into the wall with a bruise on his cheek courtesy from a punch by Canis.

Canis grabbed the man's shirt collar and demanded, "You better start talking about why my NEXT and Black Dragon disappeared while you still have teeth in your mouth and you better not lie to me otherwise I'll whip your ass so bad that not even your own mother will recognize you." Canis holds out his free fist inches away from the operator's face to intimidate him, which worked flawlessly.

The operator said, "I was covering a fellow worker since he called in sick today but I didn't get much sleep last night and nothing out of the ordinary was happening up to now. With that, I decided to rest my eyes. While I slept, the camera caught a couple of masked men sneaking into the hanger and hijack Black Dragon and Savage Beast. These guys looked like they were in a hurry since they hauled ass on out of here."

Canis asked, "Where are they now?"

The man replied, "They left a note stating that if we want the NEXTs back then you would have to come to their base in Siberia, Russia."

Canis looks at Keith then released the operator, "Come on, Keith we're going to get our NEXTs back." The two gear up for the recovery mission.

Keith puts on Dragon Skin body armor underneath a snow camouflage uniform, a pair of thermal goggles in case of a heavy snow storm and a vest for ammunition storage. For primary weaponry he chooses an M-4 carbine assault rifle with an Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight scope, M203 grenade launcher, suppressor and a laser pointer. His secondary weapons include a 9mm, .45 caliber M9A1 pistol, a hunting knife and fragment grenades. Keith places the suppressor onto the M-4's barrel and loads it with a full cartridge of bullets and puts the safety button on.

Canis dons the same gear as Keith but his primary and secondary weapons are different. His main weapon is a suppressed M-16 with the ACOG, suppressor, M320 grenade cannon, and laser pointer. For secondary armament, he chooses a katana and white phosphorus grenades.

Keith asked, "You ready, Canis?"

Canis nodded, "Yeah. Let's get our NEXTs and make it quick so we can get to the party in time." With that, the two move out.

Katrina and Wynne D. Fanchon look around at the clothing store to see what it had for sale. The manager said that this store makes custom dresses for the wearer as well, this catches Wynne's attention. She asked him for more information and is now really interested; looks like Wynne D. and Katrina have picked the right place for clothes shopping. An assistant takes them takes them to the back where the dressing rooms are.

She ordered, "Can you please take off your clothes so I can take your measurements, please?"

Katrina gasped, "But what about…"

Wynne D. assured her, "No need to fear, Katrina because it's just us three back here." The blue-haired teen begins to undress starting with her Adidas shoes followed by her pants and shirt, leaving her in under garments.

Katrina wondered, "Will this be enough?"

The assistant replied, "Almost. Now, can you please take off bra?" Katrina blushes bright red from that request but she does so anyway, she undid the clasps and removes the bra.

'This is so embarrassing, I'm being ordered to undress in front of others. I hope I don't have to do this again!' Katrina thought as she covered herself with her arms. The assistant removes her arms to take the measurements.

The assistant teased, "You're filling out nicely, Katrina a few more years and you will have guys all over you."

Fanchon chuckled, "Really?" The employee then measures Katrina's height next before determining the size of the dress.

Keith and Canis arrive just outside of the base's perimeter in Siberia, Russia as a blizzard passes through forcing them to use their thermal goggles, the devices detect enemy heat signatures ahead of them but fortunately for Keith and Canis, the guards were having a cigarette and had their backs to them. The two NEXT pilots sneak up behind him and Keith slits his target's throat while Canis snaps the other's neck then the bodies fall to the ground. Keith wipes the blood off his knife but keeps it out as he and Canis move onward, the blizzard concealing them as they are about to pass the perimeter's front gate and press against the walls. Keith pokes his head out to gaze at the hanger that's ahead of them Keith zooms in to see the interior.

Canis asked, "What do you see?"

Keith answered, "There is a lot of well-armed soldiers in there looks like we have found the right hanger where our NEXTs are being housed in. The question now is how we are going to get inside without being spotted."

Canis suggested, "We can cut the power to the hanger so the guards won't know that we are here."

Keith nodded, "I like the idea so now all we have to do is find the power box and sever the wires." The roaring winds make the search hard but Keith and Canis eventually find it and Canis pulls the wires free from their connection, the power inside the hanger fails as the result. The soldiers are taken by surprise from the sudden power failure and one of them hears the hanger doors being opened.

He readied his AK-74, "Who's there?" A fragmentation grenade is thrown into the interior and rolls over to the center of the group before exploding. From outside Keith and Canis can hear screams of agony and that's their signal to move in with their guns blazing. They set their carbine assault rifles to fully automatic mode. The surviving soldiers return fire and then one pulls out his radio.

He said, "We're under attack! Put the whole base on alert!" Almost immediately after his request warning alarms sound throughout the complex and the hanger's emergency lighting kicks in exposing their attackers. Keith and Canis take shelter behind a bunch of separate steel crates.

Canis grunted, "Great, they now know we're here so much for our cover."

Keith fired a burst then ducked again, "It doesn't change our objective, Canis. We'll just have to fight our way through." A grenade lands in front of Canis and he automatically throws it back at the enemy.

He said, "Eat shit and die!" The steel crates protect them from the explosion and debris. The two press on and fight any resistance that came their way when the initial floor is clear, they take look around for their NEXTs but Black Dragon and Canis aren't here so Keith believes that the stealers have taken them to one of the base's lower floors, the elevator was locked down so they had to take the stairs.

Down and down they went until the pilots come across a door leading to a room, the moment the door slides open Keith and Canis are greeted with gunfire. When the firing stops they fire back.

Katrina and Fanchon prepare to head for a nearby dance practice building, Katrina notices that her two former apprentices are not present so the first logical reason that comes to her mind is that they must be out on a mission but she doesn't know remember them going to the briefing room to look at the list. She decides to contact Keith since he gave her his radio frequency number. Katrina places the portable radio into her ear and it immediately dials Keith's radio number.

Keith answered it, "Keith here."

Katrina wondered, "Keith, where are you?" She then heard gunfire in the background, "What's that noise?"

Her friend informed, "That's enemy fire. A group of masked men have stolen Black Dragon and Canis so we are on a mission to get them back. Katrina, can you come to the party with me?"

Katrina nodded, "I would love to, Keith." The transmission ends after that. Lately, Katrina has been reflecting on what she thinks of Keith they have known each other since childhood and she knew that Keith respects her and considers her a close friend but was that about it? Of course she was perfectly aware that Keith cared about her but just as a close friend and nothing else than that? She shakes her head to remove any negative thoughts, she shouldn't be thinking about it like that. She will find out what Keith really considers of her tonight at the party. For the time being, she needs to focus on the dancing lessons.

Keith and Canis enter the computer room as the smell of blood flooded their noses, Canis types on a keyboard and a monitor shows them the layout of the base. Keith watches as his dirty blonde-haired friend's fingers rapidly type away to locate Black Dragon and Savage Beast, soon they appear as a solid dot on the building's layout.

Canis informed, "It appears that the enemy has moved our NEXTs down to the basement floor." He then saw a great number of hostiles guarding them, "Not surprised. They must have really important plans for Black Dragon and Savage Beast if they have this many men protecting them. We have no choice but to keep fighting our way through, Keith."

Keith closed his eyes, "There's no use crying over spilled milk, Canis if we don't retrieve our NEXTs who knows what the thieves will do with them." They continue their journey and enter a hallway that separates into two different directions with one leading to another flight of stairs and the other to a possible dead end so Keith and Canis have to choose carefully. They ultimately choose the left and it turns out to be the correct one since it leads to the stairwell. A soldier jumps on Keith from out of nowhere pinning him the ground and prepares to kill him but Keith drives his knife into his attacker's neck, severing a major artery there. Keith tosses the now dead assailant aside and stands up. They eventually reach the basement level and Canis peeks through the door window to see dozens of guards. He discovers that this door requires a voice recognition code. Luckily, Canis brought a voice changing device. He activates the gadget on his wrist and it alters his voice to a female scientist assigned to this base. The control panel confirms the ID signature.

The guards inside the hanger stand ready for battle then they hear the door suddenly open up and a white phosphorus grenade being thrown in, the weapon rolls over to their location then explodes creating a small burst of hot flames and they scream in agony as they are burned alive. Canis almost vomits because of the overwhelming stinch of charred skin emerging from inside it takes a great deal of effort to keep himself from vomiting. Keith was also having the same difficulty as his friend.

Keith gagged, "Let's hurry up and retrieve our Armored Core then blow this joint." They enter the body littered hanger and walk toward Black Dragon and Savage Beast but another platoon of enemy infantry blocks their path. The foes run forward only to be gunned down by the NEXT pilots just when they thought they are in the clear, two more men appeared.

The first one named Setsuna, had short red hair, gray eyes and appeared to be 25 years old or so and stood at 5'11. His body was nicely toned and athletic in build. In his right hand was a flamberge sword.

His partner Adrian had medium-length black hair that was dyed blonde, had green eyes, looked to be about 24 years of age and was 6'2 and had an athletic body. His weapon of choice was his fists.

'Great, just when we are close on retrieving our NEXTs someone else stops us. This is really starting to piss me!' Canis thought in annoyance. Keith's face was calm and collected and this makes Canis wonder how the hell Keith can be this calm when the odds are stacked against them then Canis realizes that it was Keith's near death experience from battling Gray Wolf changed him psychologically.

Keith asked, "So who faces who?"

Canis answered, "The dude with the red hair is mine his partner is all yours." He draws his katana while Keith removes his vest before cracking his knuckles. Keith and Adrian run toward each other and their fists collide with a powerful gust of wind. Adrian launches a right hook but Keith blocks it and delivers a roundhouse kick, putting all of his weight behind it and sends Adrian into a pile of wooden crates. Keith has his battle face on as he watches his opponent get up. Adrian throws a spinning kick but sees it coming and ducks.

Canis and Setsuna lock blades and try to dominate the other before it ends in draw and they both jump back.

Canis demanded, "Tell me, what do you intend to do with our NEXTs? Sell them on the black market?"

Setsuna chuckled, "Heh, you're pretty smart for a 14 year old. That's one idea I have in mind or I can build an army by mass producing them. Just to let you know, people call me the Lightning Swordsman because of my swift strikes. What do you specialize in?"

The dirty blonde-haired pilot replied, "Kicking your ass."

Keith avoids each of Adrian's punches and did counter attacks with punches of his own. He suddenly grabs Adrian by the throat and lands strikes to his stomach followed by Keith throwing him over the black-haired Lynx, Adrian hops back to his feet and with an incredible display of athleticism he executes the head scissors before throwing Keith down to the ground using his feet alone. Not wasting a minute, the adversary straddles Keith and starts doing lefts and right forcing Keith to cover up. As the final punch was about to hit, Keith grabs Adrian's throat and tosses him off this allows Keith to stand up again. They both throw a kick and they find their mark simultaneously.

Canis blocks a series of lightning quick strikes from Setsuna's blade and manages to score a hit diagonally across his chest as Setsuna backs up touching the wound, he notices that Canis' gray eyes hold a predatory look and it unnerves him a little bit.

All of a sudden a new alarm sounds throughout the base as an announcement warned, "Red alert! This base's self-destruct system has been activated, 10 minutes until detonation. All personnel please evacuate."

Setsuna frowned, "What? I don't remember activating the self-destruct system. Adrian, did you do it?"

Adrian shook his head, "No way, boss. I would never do such a thing unless ordered to." To Keith and Canis, things have now taken a turn for the worst. They have 10 minutes before this place blows sky high!

Katrina lets out a big sigh after completing the dance lessons, Wynne D. Fanchon offers a bottle of cold water which Katrina accepts graciously and began gulping down the liquid.

Wynne D. advised, "Careful not too fast, Katrina or you will choke." Too late, Katrina coughed, "I told you so." Katrina hits her chest to help her stop coughing and she soon ceases.

Katrina breathed, "I guess I was thirstier than I first thought. Keith asked me to come to the party tonight and I accepted Keith has possibly got to be the kindest person I've ever met."

Fanchon said slyly, "Looks like someone has fallen in love with Keith."

Katrina blushed, "What? Don't be ridiculous, Keith and I are just close friends that is all."

Wynne D. laughed, "Keith and Katrina sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

The blush on Katrina's face deepened, "Stop it!"

The minutes to the base's destruction tick by quickly until there is only 4 minutes left Keith and Canis have got to end their battle and get out of there. They both strike a nerve that paralyzes their foes long enough for the two pilots to board their NEXTs. The generators produce a low humming as they power up and Black Dragon and Savage Beast blast their way through the roof as the final countdown begins. The machines touch the ground just before the self-destruct system starts blowing the base apart.

Canis said, "Nobody fucks with my machine." Keith laughs, agreeing with him. Their celebration is cut short when they see a black figure emerging from the burning complex and it soon fully exits the bellowing smoke.

It was a four-legged machine about the same size as a NEXT, colored night black, appeared to have thick armor, a large body frame that resembled a tank and had eerie neon blue eyes. It was equipped with a massive twin-barreled cannon mounted on its back, machine guns occupied the sides of the head and drills rested on the end of its front legs.

Canis gasped, "Holy shit, you gotta be kidding me! They have been building that monster secretly this whole time? Is that a prototype of the next generation of Armored Cores?" The four-legged slowly makes its way forward, the ground shaking with each step it took.

Setsuna cried, "Demons of Hell! It's not over yet! There is no escape from our latest weapon, Juggernaut!" He takes aim with the massive twin-barreled cannon and pulls the trigger. The cannon charges up and fires two massive beams of concentrated energy that speed right toward its targets at Mach 4, Black Dragon and Savage Beast side step to allow the beams to pass by them and disappear in the distance. A bright light materializes where the beams vanished indicating that a mountain must have been obliterated by their destructive power. Canis turned pale from what he is seeing. If he and Keith didn't see that attack coming then that could've been them!

Keith ordered, "Canis, we must destroy that cannon, it's the biggest threat now. One hit from that monstrosity and we're done for!"

Canis replied, "Roger that, commencing my attack now!" Savage Beast unleashes the BM05-LAMIA AS and MP-O601JC PM missile launcher only to have virtually any damage on Juggernaut's body, raising an eyebrow Canis decides to add the AR-O700 assault rifle and LR04-AVIOR laser rifle but even these mid-range weapon couldn't put a dent in the enemy's thick armor.

Keith tries to damage the machine with the OGOTO grenade cannon and he too gets the same thing: no damage on Juggernaut.

'That armor's thick. That thing has got to have a weak point somewhere on that massive body.' Keith thought. Without warning, one of Juggernaut's front legs slams into both Armored Cores with amazing speed for something that huge the fact that all of the behemoth's weight was behind that makes the damage 50 times worse. Black Dragon and Savage Beast are sent crashing against the ground and they manage to evade the next attack as that same front leg hits the place they were at, flattening the earth beneath it. Setsuna gives them no time to catch their breath as he does a strafing run with the head-mounted machine guns.

Canis urged, "Keith, if you have a plan on how to take Juggernaut down now would be the best time to share it!"

Keith replied, "I'm trying to pin-point its weak point so we can defeat him and go home." The two see the drills on both of the enemy machine's front legs beginning to rotate at a fast rate. They take evasive action to avoid being hit. The twin-barreled cannon fired once again and Canis realizes that it must be taken out.

Taking to the air, he aims all of Savage Beast's weapons at it and unloads with everything he's got. The pilot screams as he holds the trigger button and soon spots electrical arcing this encourages Canis to keep firing. An explosion puts the cannon out of commission just when Keith locates the weak point. It was at where the leg joints connect to the body if one of them can manage to inflict enough damage on that joint, they might be able to slow Juggernaut down.

Canis wondered, "Well, Keith did you locate that weak point yet?"

His friend nodded, "Yes, it's the connection joint on its legs aim for that." Following his command, Canis directs Savage Beast's weapons at the weak point, this proved to be very effective as the leg gives out making Juggernaut lose its vertical base.

Black Dragon targets that weak point too with the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and NEMEHA-01 vertical launched support missiles. While this severely damages the joint, it doesn't completely destroy it. Knowing that they're just wasting their ammo Keith and Canis need to think up of an alternative. Keith tells Canis to follow him while Setsuna gives chase.

The pair reached the end of a cliff and where wrong step would lead to a horrible long way down to the ground. Canis scans the ground that's behind them and discovers that it is deeply unstable from the effects of weather and erosion that gives him an idea.

'Where are they?' Setsuna thought. He then hears a whistle and looks ahead and sees Savage Beast giving him the double bird. Juggernaut walks toward Savage Beast at maximum speed and arrives at the hill.

He said, "I've got you now!"

Keith chuckled, "Guess again." Setsuna turns to the left and sees Black Dragon hovering in the air pointing its WADOU grenade rifle at the cliff. Setsuna gasps as he realizes what Keith was planning but it's too late to do anything as a round from the grenade rifle destroys the cliff that Juggernaut is standing on. The cliff breaks up and the four-legged behemoth falls to its demise 12,350 feet below, from this height there is no way that even Juggernaut can withstand a fall of this height.

Canis waved, "Bye-bye." With Black Dragon and Savage Beast back in their possession, both pilots return to Collared. It is 7:30 p.m. by the time they land so that means they still have an hour and a half before the party starts. They remove their gear and place the weapons back then hop in the shower to clean up. Keith gets out and dries himself off before picking out some nice clothes to wear. He settles with a long-sleeve navy blue shirt with a short-sleeve white undershirt, brown khaki pants secured by a belt, and stylish brown shoes. Keith begins to put them on starting the pants and working his way up, pausing to look at the bruises on his chest. This came to be from the Dragon Skin body armor absorbing bullets but it didn't mean that he would not be left unscathed. He removes the images from his mind and puts the shirts on then the shoes. He grabs the invitation from the middle drawer of his dresser and proceeds to the party.

Canis chooses the same attire but sticks with a short-sleeve black T-shirt and he too grabs his invitation. The event takes place inside the main hall of a nearby building that was completely recently. They show their invitations to the security guard and he lets them in, Keith and Canis see the area packed with people. They spot Roy walking up to them wearing a tuxedo and his brown hair combed back. Wynne D. is with him and currently had an arm wrapped around his.

She wore a golden dress that stopped above her ankles, had on a pair of high heels, her shoulder-length black, red streaked hair was braided, wore bracelets, red lipstick and some eye lighter.

Roy said, "Wow, you two look nice."

Canis smiled, "Thanks, Roy. The same goes for you and Wynne D."

Keith looked around, "Where's Katrina? She said that she'd be here."

Fanchon told him, "Turn around." Keith does so and there standing right in front of him is Katrina.

She was wearing an ankle-high dress that matched the color of her hair, elbow-length gloves, 2" high heels, her hair was tied back with a red bow, wore angel earrings and lip gloss.

'My god, she's beautiful!' Keith mentally gasped. Katrina looks at him with a smile on her face.

Canis asked, "Wynne, where did she get that dress?"

Fanchon answered, "We went to a clothes shop this morning and looked around but none of the dresses there looked appealing to me. However, the manager of the store said that they make custom dresses to fit the wearer so Katrina and I went with that and judging by Keith's reaction, it paid off."

Keith snapped out of his state of surprise and said, "Glad you could make it to the party, Katrina. You look gorgeous."

Katrina blushed and smiled, "Thank you, Keith. You look marvelous yourself." Nice music begins to play and the attendants find a dance partner and dance to the music. Keith and Katrina sway to it with perfect timing. The song soon ends and the dancers grab some punch or food.

Fanchon decides to sing "Garnet Moon" dedicating it to both members of the Demons of Hell. Keith and Katrina look at each other before shrugging one more dance won't kill them. The pair reached the center and wait for Wynne to begin the song. Once she starts singing the first set of lyrics that was their cue to begin dancing. They lock eyes and smile as the audience backs up to allow them to move past them. Keith manages to pick up some whispers.

He said, "I think the male crowd is jealous."

Katrina chuckled, "I bet because you're dancing with a hot girl."

The black-haired Lynx cried, "No, more like the prettiest female Lynx ever." That earns him a bright blush from Katrina after she heard that compliment. Fanchon reaches the final set of lyrics as Katrina rests her head on Keith's chest. When Reiterpallasch's pilot finishes singing, the crowd begins applauding both her and the dancers.

Keith leads Katrina outside as the Moon illuminates the ground with its light. The two lock eyes again, deep blue meeting violet. The moonlight added a bright shade to Keith's eyes, making them seemingly glow.

He said, "Katrina, do you remember Shirley telling me that I would fall in love with a beautiful girl in my early teens?" He saw her nod and continued, "I'm looking at her right now."

Katrina gasped, "You mean…"

Keith nodded with a warm smile, "That's right. You are that special someone. I love you, Katrina."

Tears formed in her eyes, "I love you as well, Keith. I've been having dreams about us lately and when you almost died, I realized that I had feelings for you. I want to be with you forever because there's something about you that draws me to you, Keith."

Keith cried, "Katrina…" Their faces start inching closer to one another and close their eyes as they shared their first kiss. Keith wraps his arms around her waist to forever etch this moment into his memory and Katrina places her arms around Keith's neck. They sadly have to break the memorable kiss for air a bright red blush stained their cheeks. Keith holds his now lover close to him as Katrina returns her head to Keith's chest closing her eyes with a smile, listening to his heartbeat.

Many say that love is hard to find on the battlefield and damn it, Keith considers himself lucky that he was able to find it in Katrina. Canis, Roy and Wynne D. Fanchon watch the scene unfold right in front of them.

Fanchon stated, "I'm so happy for Keith, guys. He deserves this after having to suffer the pain of loneliness during childhood before he became one of us."

Canis added, "Now if only I were that lucky. I'm kind of jealous of Keith right now but it's pretty much pointless to hold a grudge against him. I will always consider Katrina as an older sister to me."

Roy patted his friend's shoulder, "Oh don't worry about it, buddy. I'm sure there is someone out there for you as well, you just need to be patient." The party ends around 11:00 p.m. and the attendants return to Collared. Many of the pilots sleep upon entering their assigned quarters. Keith passes out on his bed while Katrina looks at him lovingly. She showers then slips into her pajamas and climbs into her lover's bed, pulling the covers over them. Katrina places her head on Keith's chest, donning a loving smile as well. She'll be looking forward to what the future has in store for them.

A/N: Chapter 20 complete. Keith and Canis have managed to retrieve their NEXTs and showed the thieves what happens when you steal somebody's Armored Core since it represents a pilot's pride and honor. Stealing his/her NEXT would be a major insult to that pride and honor.

Keith and Katrina have both confessed their feelings for each other.

I feel bad for all the Japanese people affected by the 9.0 megathrust earthquake and tsunami that hit Tohoku on March 11. This was the most powerful earthquake in recorded history of Japan! The fact that aftershocks have been plaguing them since and the nuclear crisis going on just pains me to see those people suffer. Here's an interesting note. The quake was so powerful not only did it create a whirlpool out in the Pacific Ocean but it also moved Japan 13 feet towards the U.S.

Remember the megathrust earthquake that hit Sumatra, Indonesia on December 26, 2004? That was a 9.2 and it affected the Earth's rotation. So it's amazing what massive earthquakes can do besides causing damage.

May all those souls who perished in the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami rest in peace! *Does the cross gesture*

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 21.

Vader 23A


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Defying Orders

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

It's been a few days since Keith and Katrina confessed their feelings for each other and they have become nearly inseparable, they were seen almost everywhere together like eating, talking, training newcomers, and even sleeping together. They have become more popular in the media and were even in a few interviews and when they were asked about their actions in the Economic War, they admitted that neither of them took joy in taking lives but right now it's either you or the enemy that ends up dead. Keith, Katrina and Canis had seen changes taking place outside of the battlefield.

All of the corporations have merged to form the League of Ruling Companies to control the world's economy, hence the name of the current raging war. On paper, they seek to preserve peace and order within corporate society but the grim reality doesn't match these aims. The League exists to represent the ruling opinion of its corporate members, but in many cases is only a front for Omer Science Technology, who has massive influence over them. This has caused the other Corporate Groups to begin acting independently. Bernard & Felix Foundation that collapsed during the Lynx War had been brought back thanks to cooperation with GA America.

One negative impact the League has made is that under their rule the planet was overcome by rapid development and never ending pollution. Some NEXT pilots believe that they are nothing but tyrants on the grounds of slowly suffocating the life out of Earth.

One such group is Line Ark. It's the largest surface-based power, a maritime city-state formed by those who oppose the League and the Cradles System. They advocate freedom and democracy and appear to fight for this cause but it has also caused a backlash effect. Their motto of "accepting all who wish to enter" has attracted a large number of unfavorable types, which in turn has led to the slow decay of Line Ark's government leaving little of the original ideas and dreams remaining. Their forces are composed of MTs, Normals and one NEXT, White Glint which is serving as not only their ace but also as their greatest military asset. Line Ark was formed sometime after the Lynx War came to an end becoming the first non-corporate state to emerge in the post-National Dismantlement War era and they are aware of the continuing environmental pollution being caused by the Cradles and the Arteria System that powers them. However, they don't possess the military power to fully oppose the League.

The Demons of Hell have become sympathetic with the people on the Earth's surface, understanding their pain and witnessing the slow suffocation of life. Kojima poisoning is affecting not only humans but wildlife as well. Some animal species that weren't on the endangerment list have now been listed on it.

Keith enters the training to see Katrina locking in a submission hold on one of the rookies as she teaches them how to subdue an armed opponent. The rookie has one of his arms twisted behind his back and he feels Katrina kick the back of his knee to have him fall to his knees while using her other hand to grasp his neck.

She looked at the others and said, "That's how you disarm an opponent of his knife or gun. If they continue to fight, target a body part like an arm or leg and damage it until your opponent is no longer a threat. She then spotted her love, "Hi, Keith. What's up?" The others turn around and see him entering the room. The female rookies gasp at the sight of him; they have been hearing stories of Keith when they were kids.

One said, "Look, that's Keith!"

Her friend stated dreamily, "He's so handsome. My parents told me that not only did he become the youngest rank 1 Lynx at the age of 8 but is also one of the nicest people you could meet."

The first female rookie added, "Look at his eyes. They are the most beautiful shade of blue I have ever seen." The rookies introduce themselves one by one and Keith can see that all of them are just 2 or 3 years older than him. Once they finish the introduction, Katrina dismisses them stating that they are done with the training for today.

Both Keith and Katrina are walking down the hallway after Katrina washed up and changed clothes.

Keith noticed his love smiling and he wondered, "You're beaming with a smile, Katrina. May I ask why?"

Katrina answered, "Dad told me that I'm going to be a big sister, Keith. My mom is a few weeks pregnant."

The American teen asked, "When did they find out?"

His lover answered, "Yesterday."

Keith smiled, "That's great, Katrina. Tell Selene that I said congratulations. I'm sure you will make a great big sister."

Katrina hugged him, "Thank you." It is Valentine's Day again and the two lovebirds are planning to give one another a present but fate had other plans. They are called into the briefing room for an urgent mission. This one comes from the League of Ruling Companies.

The briefing began, "Here's the mission. A group of terrorists are threatening to do a mass murder in DIA in Denver, Colorado. They haven't revealed what their demands are yet but one thing is certain, if their demands are not met, they have promised that they'll kill every single person inside the airport. Your mission is to try and negotiate with them if that fails, then you are cleared to use force. That is the mission. As a precaution we advise you to bring a team with you in case you run into an enemy ambush." Canis is out on a mission so he's out of the question, Brianna and Rebecca volunteer and Keith didn't have a problem. The four set out on the mission, the transport plane takes off with their NEXTs inside the cargo bay. The trip from Collared to Denver is long and both Brianna and her sister are bored out of their minds and fall asleep until the pilot tells that they have arrived at the target area. The cargo bay door lowers and Black Dragon exits first followed by Red Angel, Violet and Inferno. Keith taps into the terrorists' radio frequency to talk to their leader.

He said, "Calling leader of the terrorist group inside Denver International Airport, this is Keith Oswell. I have come to negotiate with you, please state what your demands are and I'll do the best I can to have them be met."

The leader stated, "So, they sent the Demons of Hell to try and keep us from slaughtering all of these innocent people, eh? The League still has some sympathy for the people living on the planet's nearly uninhabitable surface." Keith and his team mates can hear people crying and begging their captors to let them go.

Keith wondered, "I will ask again. What are your demands?"

The terrorist informed, "The League has one of my friends in prison for a crime he didn't commit, have him be released and my men will spare these civilizations from execution. You have an hour to comply with our demand if it isn't met by that deadline well then the inside of this airport will be painted red with blood." He ends the transmission.

Katrina contacts Serene and orders her to have the maximum security prison release the wrongly convicted man. Serene said that she'll do her best and Brianna urges her to hurry because all those hostages have only an hour to live. Minutes tick by as the pilots wait anxiously for any result until zero hour finally approaches and the radio crackles to life again. The terrorist leader said that time's up and asks if his demand had been met and Serene expresses Keith her regret as she couldn't get the man to be release from his prison.

The terrorist leader laughed mockingly, "How unfortunate. Looks like these people will suffer for your failure."

Brianna begged, "Please, don't!" Her plea falls upon deaf ears as she hears him commanding his men to open fire and the next thing they hear is innocent people screaming and gunfire.

Katrina grunted, "Son of a bitch!" Some of the people who manage to escape the merciless slaughter find any sort of places to hide from their executioners but their relief didn't last long because the enemy found them and murdered them in cold blood.

Warning alarms in Black Dragon's cockpit tells Keith that enemies are coming to their location. One Normal pops out of nowhere and closes in on its prey but Black Dragon intercepts it with the WADOU grenade rifle.

Brianna said, "Keith, I'm picking up several times above normal levels of radiation from a supply truck close by. You don't think…"

Rebecca's eyes widen in horrifying realization, "They're planning on nuking Denver! The situation at DIA was just a distraction for them to carry out their more sinister plan! What are we going to do, Keith?"

Keith informed sternly, "We're going to thwart a nuclear attack."

Serene objected, "No Keith, you and your team have been ordered to abort the mission and return to Collared."

The rank 1 Lynx fired back, "If we don't stop that truck then Denver will be vaporized in an instant, leaving behind only a giant smoking crater reeking of radioactivity. Anyone who wasn't in the blast zone will be exposed to radioactive fallout then later die from radiation sickness."

Serene warned, "Keith, if you don't do as you're told there will be serious consequences. Don't act like a…"

Keith cut the transmission, "Sorry, Serene but this is something we can't ignore. Katrina and I will intercept the truck carrying that tactical nuke while Brianna and Rebecca to head over to the airport in search for any survivors who were able to escape. Let's move!" Black Dragon and Red Angel head for the city while Violet and Inferno move to the airport.

Black Dragon and Red Angel cautiously enter Denver in search of the nuke they soon run into another enemy ambush when a swarm of prototype NEXTs emerged with their Kojima blades ready to tear through armor. Keith has read about them in books at Collared's library. Rayleonard was developing them during the Lynx War but never reached mass production when the company collapsed. The prototype NEXTs are weakly armored so the only threat to watch out for is the Kojima blade they're equipped with.

Keith and Katrina easily overpower them and are about to resume their search for the nuke when without warning, the ground begins to shake and a drill erupts out of the street. They avoid it as the attacker shows itself.

It was a two-legged heavy NEXT colored dark gray and had acid green eyes. Its weaponry included a drill mounted on the left arm, a hand rocket launcher, and twin vertical missile launchers. Its name was Earthquake.

The pilot said, "Sorry but I can't allow you to interfere with this nuclear attack." The drill starts spinning again and Red Angel steps forward with the EB-R500 laser blade ignited.

Katrina ordered, "Keith, I'll face this weirdo you go find and disarm that nuke."

Keith nodded, "Okay. Katrina, be careful." Black Dragon lights up its boosters and takes off in search of the weapon of mass destruction. Katrina momentarily closes her eyes, smiling over the fact that Keith cares for her well being. Her love for him grows stronger from the touching thought.

Red Angel's laser blade blocks its opponent's drill as sparks fly and Red Angel fires MOTORCORBRA-03 machine gun at Earthquake's chest, sending the enemy NEXT back. The attack is followed up by the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher releasing a swarm at Earthquake. Earthquake backs up as the missiles strike inches from it before the dark gray Armored Core accelerates toward its opponent aiming its drill for Red Angel's chest but it gets caught by the red NEXT's free hand as the weapon inches closer then suddenly Earthquake gets head butted resulting in it staggering back. The enemy pilot decides he needs to come up with a new plan to combat Red Angel.

Brianna and Rebecca tread carefully inside DIA all the while keeping an eye out for any survivors that are in hiding. Rebecca feels nauseous from the sight of the bloody massacre that had taken place here. Brianna tells her sister not to think of the corpses and stay positive over the fact that there are survivors. A sniper rifle round lands mere millimeters away from Brianna's feet, causing both sisters to take cover while they search for the sniper. Rebecca sees a shard of glass laying next to her so she picks it up and holds it out, hoping the reflection will pin-point the sniper's location. In no time, his location is revealed when he shoots the shard out of Rebecca's hand. The sniper is stationed on a walkway above the main floor and Rebecca tells her older sister that she's going to lure him out and Brianna will take the shot while she distracts him. Brianna nods in agreement. The 26-year old runs out of her hiding spot and fired rounds from her M9A1 pistol to get the sniper's attention and it works as he takes its aim and is about to pull the trigger but a bullet goes through his forehead and out the other side. The two sisters resume their mission after Brianna picks up the suppressed PSG1 and ammo vest. They continue walking down a blood-stained hallway that leads to the women's restroom, where the red fluid was slowly drying as its color changes from deep red to black along the way. It isn't long until they come across the first batch of people hiding from their executioners.

One of them was a 9 year old girl with beautiful chocolate brown hair that stopped above her shoulders, amber eyes, a medium skin tone and wore a flower decorated pink T-shirt, blue shorts and sandals.

Her companion was a young woman with bob cut-styled red hair, green eyes, slender build and pale skin. Her attire consisted of a white sundress and sandals. The girl had her legs up and hugged them as she cries when the young woman hugs her in an attempt to comfort her. She too is a bit shaken up from the whole ordeal.

Brianna asked, "How did you end up here?"

The woman answered, "We were running from those terrorists and looked for any kind of shelter to get us out of their sights and then we ran in here."

Keith looks for his target carrying the nuke until he finds it parked up next to a rise-high bank, a monitor shows him that the nuke's timer had been activated and set to explode in 2 minutes obviously the driver must have set it before running off. Keith gets out of his Armored Core to walk up to the truck and pulls down the tail gate before pulling the weapon forward. He has to work fast if he wants this city to remain in one piece. He connects a portable decoder to the timer and begins typing on his decoder. Precious minutes rapidly tick by and sweat begins to form on Keith's face underneath his helmet. The timer reaches the final 10 seconds and his heart races and just when 2 seconds are left, the timer stops indicating that the nuclear bomb has been disarmed.

Keith sighed in relief, "Whew, thank goodness." All of a sudden, he senses danger coming toward DIA and knows that Brianna and Rebecca are inside.

Earthquake ends up on the receiving end of one of Red Angel's axe kicks and gets sent to the ground with a big cloud of dust and loud crash. Static electricity arches over Earthquake's badly damaged body as Red Angel points the EB-R500 laser blade at the hostile Armored Core.

Katrina said, "This battle is over. Accept your defeat."

The enemy replied, "It's not over yet!"

Katrina fired back, "Your NEXT's AP is down to 638. One hit from my ACRUX high laser cannon or Assault Armor is all it will take to wipe out the rest of your AP." Red Angel turns around to leave when a missile warning sounds so Red Angel swiftly whips around and takes out the rest of Earthquake's AP with the MOTORCOBRA-03 machine gun.

Earthquake's pilot seethed, "You bitch! You'll pay for this!" His seething rage prevents him from realizing that the victor has spared him but in his current state of mind, he feels that this was Katrina's way of humiliating him.

She recited the Demons of Hell Code, "Never lay harm on the innocent. Never kill an enemy pilot unless they truly deserve it or are part of the mission. Fight for a noble and adjust cause. Watch each other's back."

Black Dragon holds the nuclear bomb carefully in its hands as it flies across the sky en-route to Denver Intentional Airport. He and Katrina meet up there then enter the structure to see the carnage that awaited them. They are unfazed by the sight of dried blood and remain vigilant while moving to Brianna and Rebecca's location. The women's restroom comes within sight and Keith waits outside as Katrina enters the place. Brianna and her younger sister stayed at the little girl and woman's side the whole time. Katrina asked if there any other survivors and Brianna sadly informed that these two are the only ones.

Keith told them, "We need to leave now, it's not safe here." Keith instructs them to form up with his hand he and Brianna lead the way with their guns ready. A short time later they are greeted with gunfire from the terrorists. Brianna takes care of any who are out of range for Keith's M9A1 pistol, one terrorist pops out of nowhere and holds Keith down with his foot and prepares to fire his AK-47 but the black-haired American teen stops that by blowing a hole in his attacker's forehead. He pushes the now dead assailant off and resumes leading the group out of DIA. Once outside, they lead the only survivors of this massacre to safety. Keith takes the girl with him while Katrina has the young woman. The little girl sits on Keith's lap and being awed by all the fancy stuff highlighting Black Dragon's cockpit.

Just as they are about to leave, warning alarms tell Brianna and Rebecca that they're being locked onto but when they turn around, they have little time to react as multiple beams of energy pierce their respective NEXT's Primal Armor and cause extensive damage to them. Katrina is shocked to the core with her eyes wide in terror as proof by what she is seeing. She watches as Violet and Inferno fall backwards like a tree.

This isn't the first time Keith has seen someone die right in front of him he is still shocked. Snapping out of his state of shock, he searches for the one responsible for this and the attackers reveal themselves. He hears Katrina gasp. The enemies were huge in size with leg-like limbs on top of treads, blue-gray in color and armed with multiple strafing lasers.

Katrina exclaimed, "Land Crab Arms Forts? What is Omer Science Technology thinking, using our friends as test subjects to see if the lasers work?" She begins to shake in anger as she glares hatefully at the Land Crabs. Katrina activates Red Angel's overed booster and speeds toward the enemy Arms Forts with killer intent.

Keith said, "Katrina, wait!"

Katrina doesn't listen as she charges up the HLC-09 ACRUX to full power then fires the weapon at the Arms Forts' generators. The beam has no trouble going through the armor before making quick work of the generator, pulling back when the Land Crabs explode. With her thirst for vengeance quenched, Katrina takes deep breathes to calm down but then concern engulfs her. Stepping out of Red Angel via lifting wire she runs over to the fallen Armored Cores and undid the locks to allow the cockpit to slide open. Katrina looks inside to see Brianna with multiple fatal injuries she pulls Brianna out and does the same thing with her younger sister. The blue-haired teen removes their helmets to see glazed over eyes, sadness grips her when she closes their eyes and she can feel tears beginning to form when a hand falls on her shoulder. Katrina turns her head to see Keith standing there with a sad but sympathetic look on his face. Katrina hugs Keith, clinging to him like her life depended on it as she feels Keith wrap his arms around her. He allows her to cry as much as she needed to.

Keith told her, "We'll give them a proper funeral, Katrina." After dropping the survivors at a Red Cross shelter, they return to Collared then head for the debriefing room. Upon entering, Keith is immediately slapped hard from Serene Haze. Katrina flinches from the sound and knows that their operator is not happy over their actions. Keith takes the slap like a man.

Serene scolded, "What the hell were you thinking, Keith? The mission was a failure and yet you have the nerve to defy our client's order?"

Keith replied neutrally, "With all due respect, Serene but if we hadn't stayed there then Denver wouldn't still be standing right now. We also managed to find two survivors from the airport massacre. Also what was Omer Science Technology thinking with those Land Crabs? They used Brianna and Rebecca as test subjects for the strafing lasers."

Serene retorted, "You destroyed those Arms Forts without permission! That is a violation in the rules of engagement!"

Keith informed, "It's because of them that Brianna and Rebecca are no longer with us."

Katrina asked, "What about you? Haven't you seen someone die right in front of you, Kasumi?" Serene cringed at how Katrina said her real name, "Those two were my friends and you show no sympathy for them or all those poor souls that were slaughtered in the airport? What kind of human being are you?" The two glared at each other as Katrina would like nothing better to do than to leave Serene battered and bruised!

Serene concluded, "We'll give them a funeral tomorrow. You are dismissed. Just a little warning for you, Keith, if you do such a rash act again you will be stripped of your pilot license." Keith doesn't let the threat get to him as he and Katrina leave. If they thought they were in the clear, they are wrong.

Keith is taken to a torture chamber and has his arms suspended above his head. A man enters the room with a barbed whip.

The interrogator said, "In response to defying the client's orders, you are hereby to be given 100 lashes." He nods to the whip handler who has a sick smile on his face. He quickly tests the whip then starts hitting it against Keith's bare back. Keith bites down on a piece of wood that Roy gave him. He said to bite down on it to keep himself from crying out in pain since the whip holder likes seeing his victims in pain.

Up in the observation room, Katrina chokes up at the sight of seeing her lover being whipped at. She still believes that their actions were justified in thwarting that nuclear attack.

She wondered, "Why does Keith have to receive 100 lashes? We did what we thought was right."

Roy said, "Keith is lucky that he's receiving this type of punishment, this is a lot more merciful instead of being executed."

Katrina shook her head, "This still isn't right!" After receiving 100 lashes, Keith is released from his restraints and he falls to his knees with his back burning from the deep lacerations. Katrina helps him back to their quarters and sits him down on the bed and pulling open a drawer in the bathroom, she grabs a can containing a new healing agent that was developed recently as part of a breakthrough in self-treating cuts and burns. Returning to the bedroom, Katrina places Keith on his stomach. She takes one good look at the lacerations and can't help but feel disgusted over the League's decision.

'Telling us to pull back when those terrorists threaten to blow Denver up is a total disregard for life! We saved thousands of lives in the city! Keith and I did the right thing even if it came with a price.' Katrina thought as she sprayed the healing agent over the cuts and like magic, they heal within seconds until all that's left is healed skin. Donning their PJs, they sleep the night away.

The next day is the funeral and Keith wears some nice clothing and grabs his M9A1 just in case something happens. Canis and Katrina meet up with in the hallway. Canis has his trusty M9A1 with him too.

Canis wore the same attire as Keith.

Katrina donned a dress that hugged her frame perfectly, at other times Keith would compliment on how beautiful she looked but now wasn't the right time. The pair reached the church that will be holding the funeral and sit when the Priest recites stuff from the Bible. Once complete with that he asks the others to join him in procession to the cemetery. Katrina stands outside of the front doors, Keith joins her.

Katrina asked, "Keith, do you think we did the right thing?"

Keith answered, "Of course. The League thinks differently from us. This war, through their eyes, is more about power than anything else." Unknown to them, a car is slowly approaching them and one occupant loads a gun.

Katrina cried, "War is a cruel thing, isn't it?" The car suddenly pulls up and the passenger fires.

Keith took action, "Katrina, get the others back inside the church now!" Katrina does just that as Keith and Canis pull out their pistols and return fire. They hide behind a car parked right in front of the church.

One of the gunners said, "Eat lead, Demons of Hell!"

Canis groaned, "Attacking us during a funeral! Don't these have any respect toward the dead?" He saw a person coming out of the building, "It's not safe out here yet, stay in the church!" A grenade is thrown over to them but Keith throws it right back at the source and hears it detonate blowing up a car that a bunch of the attackers are hiding behind. Eventually, all of the attackers are down.

Keith said, "That's all of them for the time being." He looked at the occupants, "Make a run for the cars quickly!" The people run out of the church and hop into the nearest car then drive to safety. Keith and Canis enter a hearse and asked Roy to drive it. When they pass a green light, more enemies show up in cars and shoot the back door off.

Canis cursed, "Shit, we lost the back door! Don't go too fast, Roy or Brianna and Rebecca will fall out."

Keith finds an RPG he automatically loads it before taking. Once he gets a lock he pulls the trigger, taking a pursuing car out. Without warning Roy makes a sharp right turn that knocks Keith off balance and he manages to move out of the way in time before Brianna's coffin collides with the wall. Canis' head bounces off the passenger window.

He said, "Next time warn us before you pull any hard turns! I could've had shards of glass in my head if this window broke!" Soon there was no trace of the chasers, "Looks like we lost them. Can't we have just one day with no missions or surprise attacks? Is that too much to ask for?"

They arrive at the cemetery and Keith said, "We're finally here. It's time to put Brianna and Rebecca in the ground so they can rest in peace." The coffins are lowered into the hole then get covered with dirt. The tombstones already have their names, the day of birth and death. The last rites are given and the people place flowers in a vase next to the tombstones. They say a prayer and leave after that.

Keith walks away from the site but momentarily stops and turns his head to look at the graves one more time with a sad frown on his face. Keith knows that Brianna and Rebecca have been freed from all their suffering and are reunited with their parents. He will miss them since they were like sisters to him and Keith hopes that when his time comes, he will be reunited with his parents too. He, Katrina and Canis take a cab back to Collared. Later that night, Katrina feels the bed moving so she turns on the lights to see Keith tossing and turning in his sleep. She shakes Keith and he shot up in a cold sweat. He was sweating and breathing heavily, obviously he must have been having one hell of a nightmare to look like this.

Katrina asked, "Keith, what did you dream of this time?"

Keith looked at her, "It was horrible, Katrina. In it, we were inside one of those Arteria facilities facing two NEXTs and you shielded me from one of the enemy's back-mounted weapons. You died in my arms shortly after the mission was complete."

Katrina hugged him while caressing his hair, "You're not going to lose me, Keith. I will protect you no matter how hard or what kind of mission we take. After all, we promised that we'd face the future together." Keith wraps his arms around Katrina, pulling her closer and inhaling the lilac scent of her blue hair. He also swears that he will protect Katrina because he didn't know what he would do if he lost her. It felt like someone drove a knife through his heart when he found his parents' gravesite. And yet as painful as it was seeing their tombstones, this served as a driving factor for him to make sure that something like that doesn't happen again.

The two fall asleep in each other's embrace.

A/N: Chapter 21 done. This is where the League and Arms Forts make their debut. It's never mentioned when in the post-National Dismantlement War era that the League of Ruling Companies formed exactly.

This is also where the Demons of Hell's view of the corporations changes and their first signs of rebellion against them.

As much as I wanted to keep Brianna and Rebecca alive longer, I know that in any story where a character that you have grown attached to has to die at one point.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 22.

Vader 23A


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Arena Tag-Team Champions

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The hot days of early June come as the Economic War rages on. He and two team mates received word that the Arena was going to hold a tournament in 4 weeks and they have been invited to participate in it. The host of that tournament handed them out to people who he thought was worthy to enter.

Keith and Katrina are currently enjoying some time with each other, walking around in a field of a new species of flowers that can tolerate the Kojima pollution. Both of them stop walking and take in the beauty of the flowers when Keith wraps his arms around Katrina from behind and Katrina smiles in contentment. She only allows Keith to touch her like the way he does and at the same time she had no idea that her lover would be so open with their relationship. Their NEXTs are in a patch of the field that's bare of any flowers.

Keith said, "This flower field is beautiful isn't it, Katrina?"

His lover nodded, "Yes, it is. I had no idea that this species of flowers can withstand Kojima particles."

Keith added, "But these flowers can't match your beauty, my love."

Katrina smiled, "You mean that?"

Keith looked at her, "Yes I do." Katrina turns her head and holds Keith's with one arm as they kiss one another with affection that was spawned from childhood.

'I'm so lucky to have such a caring person like Keith as my lover.' Katrina thought.

Keith then feels Katrina starting to French kiss him by using her tongue and he pulled away, "Hang on, Katrina. I don't think we are ready for that yet can you wait until the war is over?" Katrina mentally growls for getting carried away but said that she can wait until the war ends. Keith grabs a camera he brought and sets it up on a stand and a time delay to allow him and Katrina to stand in front of their Armored Cores and hold each other in a loving matter and smile at the camera. The camera takes the pictures and the delay timer reaches zero. The picture only manages to get the legs of Black Dragon and Red Angel because of their massive height.

They eventually return to Collared and Katrina looks out the window on the base's first floor, Keith can tell what's on her mind.

He asked, "Thinking about Brianna and Rebecca?"

Katrina nodded sadly, "Yeah. I can't believe that Omer Science Technology used them as test subjects for those Land Crabs Arms Forts. Why did this have to happen?" She cries as the memory of seeing holes in Violet and Inferno played in her mind. Keith hugs her and rubs her back until she calms down. Keith quickly got over Brianna and her younger sister's death since he is used to seeing people die. Katrina breaks the embrace and wipes her tears away before thanking him.

The two are about to train in preparation for the tournament when an investigator comes up to them and asked for their assistance in helping him solving a disaster that involved a NEXT exploding for unknown reasons during its test run. Keith and Katrina agree, saying they will help. The investigator said that he was grateful.

He leads them to the hanger that his team is using, it's filled with parts of the destroyed Armored Core they have managed to recover and so far they have not found any clues that can help them. They have listed a number of possible causes ranging from metal fatigue to sabotage. They even recall eye witnesses hearing a real sharp metallic popping noise but couldn't determine where on the NEXT it was coming from. Keith looks at the collected debris until the condition of the generator comes into mind.

Katrina watched him, "Find anything?"

Keith turned around and asked the investigator, "Did you recover the schematics for this Armored Core?" The man handed it over and Keith looked between it and the generator, "This isn't right. The generator that's lying with the debris doesn't match the one in the schematics because on here, it has the same GAN02-NSS-G generator that my NEXT has but the one in the debris pile is completely different. Was there like any last minute part replacement?"

The investigator thought before he remembered something, "We checked the maintenance records and discovered that the GAN02-NSS-G generator was replaced by an experimental model plus, the cable connections had been changed. Lastly, there was some regards about the weight of this experimental generator."

Keith snapped his finger, "I think we've found the final piece to this puzzle. It seems that this new generator was either too light or too heavy and the cable connections weren't the right kind and the loud noises the generator made must have gradually loosened the cables enough to break free from their connection point, producing the loud popping noise that eye witnesses heard. A sudden energy spike must have been the trigger for the explosion. Normally, a NEXT's generator produces a low humming noise that the pilot can barely hear with controlled energy levels due to power regulators but it seems this experimental one's were not activated. My conclusion is that faulty replacement parts combined with an untested new generator and inactive safety systems caused the NEXT's destruction."

Using this new data, the team is able to reconstruct events leading up to the disaster minute by minute from the part replacement procedure to the explosion. They trace the parts to the manufacturer which is revealed to be Rosenthal. The company will be filed a lawsuit over the violation of safety procedures and loss of life.

The investigation team thanks Keith and Katrina for their help and the two leave for the gym. They change clothes and begin training, focusing on speed, strength and agility. Keith exceeds the sessions with no trouble and even takes Katrina by surprise when he launched strikes of his own.

The weeks tick by until only one week is left before the tournament begins. Keith and Katrina wander in downtown Virginia then the pair sees a hut set up and the receptionist said that a singing contest will be taking place soon and the first place winner will receive a 5,000 Credit reward. Katrina signs up and the receptionist thanks her, the two lovers continue walking around until the designated hour arrives. While Katrina is getting them something to eat and drink, Keith's battle hardened senses tell him that someone very familiar so turns around to face that person, which is revealed to be Otsdarva holding a steel rod.

Keith said, "Hello, Otsdarva. It's certainly been a while since we last crossed paths, wouldn't you agree?" Otsdarva doesn't answer and Keith can easily tell that by the look in his eyes that Otsdarva hasn't forgotten when Keith took his title as the rank 1 Lynx on August 15, 2005. Since then, the memory haunted him even in his sleep and now Otsdarva wants to beat the American teen to a bloody pulp.

Otsdarva seethed, "I will never forgive you for taking my title away from me! I demand a NEXT battle right now, boy!"

Keith closed his eyes, shaking his head, "My answer is no, Otsdarva. I see no point in it. That match occurred 8 years ago, just let it go."

The auburn-haired man growled, "Why you little…"

Canis came up to Keith's side and said, "Otsdarva, do you want Keith to open up a can of whoop ass on you for the fourth time?"

Keith added, "Otsdarva is that what you think?"

Otsdarva said, "I think…"

Keith cut him off, "It doesn't matter what you think! What I suggest you do is know your role and shut your mouth because if you don't, I will take that steel rod, shine it up real nice, turn that son of a bitch sideways and stick it straight up your candy ass!" Canis starts laughing hard at the look on Otsdarva's face with his jaw hanging open. He just got owned by Keith. Both pilots sit on a bench just when Katrina comes back with chicken on a stick and 16oz cup of Pepsi. Keith takes his snack and starts eating it.

Katrina sat down and said, "So Canis, I take that you have been given an invitation to the Arena Tournament?"

Canis nodded, "Yes, that's correct." Over the years, Keith and Canis have become like brothers to another even though they're not blood related or anything like that. Canis had a good sense of humor and would do stuff to make people laugh. The designated hour for the singing arrives just when Keith and Katrina finish their food and drink.

The three head over to the place where the contest will be taking place when they arrive they manage to get a look of the platform.

It was nothing really fancy, just one of the platforms one would see at a festival.

Katrina stands in line with the other contestants who appear to be around her age, she already has the song in mind when it's her turn.

Keith and Canis stand in the audience waiting for the contest to begin and in no time it does. All of the female contestants had the beauty that any male teenager could want. They overhear the judges explaining the rules and that they will measure the person's skills based on tone, emotion, and keeping up with the song's lyrics. After the rule explanation is over, the contest commences. There are occasional eliminations as the event continues until Katrina is up next. She steps onto the platform and in front of the microphone. She looks at the crowd and felt nervous until her eyes found Keith and Canis. This helps her calm down and give her confidence. The song of her choice begins to play.

'This one is for you, Keith and Canis.' Katrina thought as she started to sing.

_"I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" _  
_The beat of my heart reaches out to you, so far away _

_It's OK if I get hurt. _  
_I want to live passionately and intensely _  
_without turning my eyes away. _

_Because it was you who gave me the strength _  
_to never give up, I want to embrace you._

Every in the crowd is awed by Katrina's voice but the one who stand out above the rest is Keith. It's like he is listening to an angel singing.

He said in awe, "Amazing!" His reaction doesn't go unnoticed as Canis sees the look of surprise and awe on his friend's face. Katrina notices it too and she is smiling as she kept going.

_I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" _  
_Mistakes and pain lead us to a brilliant, momentary light. _  
_I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" _  
_The beat of my heart reaches out to you, so far away _

_Yeah... Lithely accepting the moment _  
_with my bare skin, _  
_I want to find more "gentleness!" _

_Take back the miracle of your youth, _  
_when everything shined._

_I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" _  
_I believe in the kindness of feeling and understanding each other's heartbreak. _  
_I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" With this kiss, I want to _  
_show a definite passion to you, so far away..._

'This is fun.' Katrina thought happily.

_I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" _  
_Mistakes and pain _  
_lead us to a brilliant, momentary light. _

_I just feel the "Rhythm Emotion" _  
_The beat of my heart _  
_reaches out to you, so far away."_

Immediately after the final lyrics, the crowd erupted in applause and whistles, the judges give a perfect score of 10. Katrina bows with a bright smile and the judges round up the final three contestants and first place ends up going to Katrina. She is given a 1st place metal and the 5,000 Credit reward. Keith and Canis meet up with her as Katrina walks over to them.

Keith said, "Katrina, that's a beautiful voice you have."

Canis nodded, "I agree. I never imagined you could sing with such crystal clarity, you could be a world famous singer if you wanted."

Katrina smiled brighter if it was possible, "Thanks, guys. Especially you, Keith I dedicated that song to you two. I cherish you guys a lot." Canis is extremely tempted to cry from Katrina's heartwarming confession.

Keith smiled, "You mean that, don't you?" Katrina nods before she kisses him.

Canis joked, "Get a room if you're going to do that, Romeo and Juliet." Both lovers can't help but laugh at that. Katrina and Keith spend the remaining week with Katrina's parents. Selene is now three months pregnant and is showing the classic signs of it with her like a swelling stomach, mood swings, cravings and weight gain. Keith asks Selene when she is due and she said in early November.

Next Monday, the tournament begins and the person in charge of the event steps forward after everyone gathers in the main hallway.

He said, "Welcome to the Arena Tournament. My name is Allen Heat and I will be in charge of this event. All of you have been given the opportunity to make a name for yourselves. The tournament will start off with preliminary rounds to see who will advance and who will be sent home. In the quarter finals, there will be tag-team elimination matches and that will continue into the semi-finals. At the final round, the two remaining tag-teams will face each other in a match and the winner will receive the Arena Tag-Team Championship. I hope you trained hard because this will be brutal and your bodies will never be the same after the physical punishment sustained to it. People have died in this tournament so think long and hard if you still want to go through this because there's the high probability that you will lose your life. If there are those of you who wish to step down, this is your only chance to do so. With that said I wish you all good luck."

The contestants are given locker rooms during the tournament and both Keith and Canis change into the attire that Katrina's mother designed for them.

Keith donned a sleeveless shirt that had the words "Ass Kicking Time" on the back colored in red, fingerless gloves, elbow pads, black tights that had designs in the shape of a dragon with its wings halfway open and breathing fire out of its mouth and black boots that had lifts in them, increasing Keith's height to 5'9.

Canis wore a white tank top, fingerless gloves, blue tights with red demon skulls on them, and black boots with lifts built into them, making Canis stand at 6'3.

Katrina enters the locker room while they lace up their boots. After hearing what Allen said about the fatal physicality and becomes concerned about the well being of the two.

Keith said, "I know what you're thinking, Katrina but we accept the risks. Look on the bright side if we win, we'll be Tag-Team Champions."

Canis agreed, "I'm with Keith here. You taught us everything you know and we are about to use it to win those titles. Have faith in us, Katrina." They head out and the preliminary rounds commence. Keith's first opponent is Roy Saaland. They step into the ring and shake hands before the bell rings. They enter a lock-up and attempt to overpower one another but ended up in a tie, Roy is surprised by this because he thought he would have the height and strength over Keith. That's when he notices Keith's build has improved as a result from intense training and Roy wonders what kind of regiment he does. Keith then wisely targets the legs to chop Roy down because when someone who is over 6 feet tall has their vertical base taken out, they aren't as large. Saaland gets back to his feet and does a back body drop to Keith, launching him almost 7 feet into the air before Keith comes crashing down on his back. To the black-haired teen, it feels like he fell out of a building. The match between them is long and intense but just when Roy sets him up for a powerbomb, Keith escapes and executes a picture perfect RKO faster than Roy could blink. Once down on the mat Keith pins Roy for the win and this advances him to another preliminary match.

Canis wins his match and advances as well after defeating Dan Moro. Before anyone knows it, the quarter finals come and this is where the tag-team elimination matches start and will continue in the semi-finals.

Keith and Canis' first opponents as a tag-team were Yei and Wis, the pilots of Emerald Raccoon and Scarlet Fox.

Wis was a young man who just recently turned 30 years old. He had an athletic build, auburn hair that was in a buzz cut, had hazel brown eyes and stood at 5'11.

His partner, Yei, was a year younger than Wis at age 29, had an athletic build as well, black hair with blonde highlights in it, green eyes and was around 6 feet in height.

The two respective tag-teams debate on who will start the match until it settles with Keith and Wis. The match is a back and forth one with multiple counters and near falls and Canis earns his team the win with a Stunner after doing the finger salute to Yei. They burn through the quarter and semi-final rounds and during the last semi-final match, Keith and Canis almost get defeated thanks to outside interference from Otsdarva but Keith saves the day by countering Risaia's finisher with a cradle roll-up pin. With this, Keith and Canis advance into the finals against Otsdarva and CUBE. To add fuel to the fire, Otsdarva attacked Katrina like a coward and thankfully Keith manages to see it via footage and let's just say that it doesn't end for the former rank 1 Lynx. He gets viciously powerbombed through a table.

The ring announcer said, "THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS A STREET FIGHT AND IS FOR THE ARENA TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP!" The lights suddenly go out and an eerie organ starts to play then flames erupt from the ramp as red light fills the arena then Keith and Canis walk down. They both enter and Canis slowly raises his arms and then throws them back down, making fire erupt from the ring posts. Their opponents enter the ring next. Keith gives Otsdarva a demonic glare that tells him that Keith will leave him more than just black and blue.

Matt Burns and Zoe are doing commentary for this match. Katrina joins them as she puts her headset on.

The ring announcer continued, "INTRODUCING FIRST. THE CHALLENGERS AT A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 292 POUDS, KEITH OSWELL AND CANIS, THE DEMONS OF HELL. AND THEIR OPPONENTS. AT A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 404 POUNDS, OTSDARVA AND CUBE." The man steps out of the ring and after the bell rings, Keith does the Rest In Peace sign with that demonic glare still on his face.

Keith throws Otsdarva out of the ring and follows, Otsdarva punches Keith in the face but the black-haired teen hardly feels and proves it by snapping his head back to face his foe.

Keith said, "My turn!" He wraps both hands around Otsdarva's throat and lifts him into the air before throwing him into the steel steps the next thing Otsdarva feels is the back of his head hitting the steps with a sickening thud. The fool attempts to crawl away as Keith stalks him like a predator. Reaching under the ring, Keith obtains a 2x4 and breaks it over Otsdarva's back.

Zoe expressed, "I believe Keith has two things on his mind tonight. The first is to whip Otsdarva's ass and make him pay for his sin of attacking Katrina. The second is to win the Arena Tag-Team titles."

Without warning, Keith gets hit in the face with the ring bell. Picking Keith up, Otsdarva tosses him over the guard rail and they take their fight into the crowd. Otsdarva targets Keith's leg with intent on breaking it. He then decides to lock in the Figure 4 submission hold but Keith pushes his opponent away using his free foot before getting up and shakes his leg to get feeling back into the limb. He limps toward the downed Lynx and throws Otsdarva over the guard rail following it up with Keith leaping over the rail to clothesline him.

Inside the ring, Canis Irish Whips CUBE into a turnbuckle and is about to clothesline the cyborg but instead he receives a boot to the face, making Canis stagger back. Seizing this chance CUBE runs at Canis but the rank 22 Lynx counters it with a back body drop.

Canis taunted, "Come on, tin can!" When Canis starts to pick CUBE up, the cyborg Lynx delivers a low blow to Canis making him collapse to his knees while clenching his groin. He becomes dazed after receiving a hard kick to the temple. Not wanting to wait for Canis to recover, CUBE another steel chair grabs from underneath the ring and climbs and raises it over his head but Keith snatches it out of CUBE'S hands. When the fool turns around Keith jabs him in the gut then swings the chair as hard as he could, denting it over CUBE's back. Otsdarva comes back in but Keith quickly spins around and drives the weapon into the enemy's cranium. As Otsdarva lies on the mat Keith places the chair over his face and then does a leg drop on it making everyone cringe from the sound.

Matt exclaimed, "His skull has got to be shattered now."

Canis shakes the cobwebs out and rises to his feet to see both Otsdarva and CUBE then looks at Keith as if demanding an explanation and Keith simply lifts the dented chair as his answer. They both see their opponents roll out of the side of the ring that faces the ramp, Keith and Canis look at the ropes behind them then to each other and nod. They bounce off the ropes behind them and take aim at the opposing tag-team and perform a suicide dive over the top rope, scoring a direct hit at Otsdarva and CUBE.

Keith pulls up his opponent up by the hair and Irish Whips Otsdarva to the steel steps but Otsdarva reverses it mid-way and Keith ends up crashing into them knees first. The former rank 1 Lynx removes the top half of the steps and prepares to piledrive Keith's head into the lower part with intent on breaking his neck but Keith escapes it and Otsdarva's back collides with the thin padding that covers the concrete floor. The man's eyes widen in pain as the air escaped from his lungs. Keith hisses in pain as he re-establishes his vertical base, that collision still hurt even though he is wearing knee pads underneath his tights. Keith places Otsdarva onto the ring apron with his head sticking out then aggressively and violently drives the elbow into his throat followed up by Keith stepping onto the apron and executing a leg drop, putting all of his weight behind it.

Zoe said, "My god, Keith and Canis are just dominating this match right now."

Katrina smirked, "Zoe, when we go all out on our enemies it would take an act of God to save you. We aren't called the Demons of Hell for nothing."

Canis brings a table into the ring and sets it on fire. Keith and Canis chokeslam the opponents right through the burning table before doing a double pin, the ref's hand comes down three times and after that the bell rings. The crowd erupts in cheers.

The ring announcer declared, "THE WINNERS OF THIS MATCH AND THE NEW ARENA TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONS, CANIS AND KEITH OSWELL!" The ref hands the two teens their Tag-Team Titles and Canis momentarily places his belt down to do a victory pyro by raising his arms up slowly then throwing them back down and flames erupting from the ring posts followed by that eerie music and red light.

Katrina climbs into the ring and joins in on the celebration as fireworks go off and streamers, glitter and rubber balloons rain down. Keith and Canis look at their new championship belts then one another with a triumphant smile on their faces. Keith looks at the downed Otsdarva and an idea enters his head.

Handing their titles to Katrina, Keith orders his friend to grab Otsdarva which Canis does without question. He places the fool's leg on the bottom part of the steel steps while Keith grabs the discarded upper half, Otsdarva pleads Keith to stop but Keith doesn't listen and slams the steps onto Otsdarva's leg, shattering it. Now he will be leaving out of here on a stretcher. Katrina returns the Arena Tag-Team Titles to Keith and Canis and together they walk up the ramp toward their locker room.

Once there, Keith and Canis don normal clothing after showering. Katrina pulls out a disposable camera out of her pant pocket.

She said, "Hold on, guys I want to take a picture." Canis shrugs and they both smile with Canis giving the peace sign. Katrina takes the picture and they return to their rooms at Collared. Keith hangs his half of the Tag-Team belts on the wall. Katrina is already in her pajamas when she rests her head on Keith's shoulder. The 13-year old moves his eyes to the left for a moment.

'The next time Otsdarva and I cross paths on the battlefield, I'm going to kill him. That shattered leg he now has was just a taste of what's in store for him. He's crossed the line by attacking Katrina. You screw with me or with ones that I care about I'm going to hurt you.' Keith thought with venom.

Katrina asked her love, "You know what I sometimes dream about, Keith?"

Keith looked at her with a smile, "What?"

Katrina answered, "Sometimes I dream about living at a place somewhere among the stars where violence, war or hatred doesn't exist. A place where everybody lives peacefully and in harmony."

Keith chuckled, "Yeah that would be nice but with the Assault Cells in Earth's orbit that dream won't happen right now. That does not mean that it still can happen, though." They hop into bed and like usual, Katrina lays her head on Keith's chest letting the sound of his heartbeat drift her off to sleep.

A/N: Chapter 22 done. I added the singing contest here for fun and used Rhythm Emotion that Katrina sang since it's a cool song.

I used Kane's Burned theme for the Demons of Hell music since it is eerie and meant bad news for the opponent.

The finisher Keith used here is Randy Orton's RKO and Canis used the Stone Cold Stunner that the Texas Rattlesnake, Stone Cold Steve Austin does, one of the greatest WWE Superstars and my second favorite after the Undertaker.

Looks like Otsdarva has written his own death certificate by attacking Katrina, huh?

I'm in a pleasant mood right now since the most hated man in America and most wanted terrorist in the world, al-Qaida leader and founder Osama bin Laden has finally been killed. He was killed by SEAL Team 6 in a compound near Islamabad, Pakistan at night. After almost 10 years of pain and anger, justice has been served at last. Of course, it won't bring back the thousands of innocent his network took. I'm sure there will be retaliation by his followers since he is dead now. A lot of emotions ran through me the moment his death was announced on the news.

I was happy now that the monster was slain and all the 9/11 victims' family members can finally find some peace, upset that it took almost 10 years to find this guy since he kept slithering out of our reach and fear that this war against terrorism is going to be bloodier than ever.

I can remember that Tuesday morning clearly, I watched the whole event from the second plane hitting to both towers of the World Trade Center collapsing at my middle school. That day was forever burned into my memory.

Okay, enough rambling from me.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 23.

Vader 23A


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: New Phase of War

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The date is January 24, 2016, more than 10 years since the National Dismantlement War happened and the situation on Earth has declined ever further. The League has complete control over the planet thanks to the NEXT pilots and abandoned the planet's surface and the people who reside there, thinking of them as weaklings who are a waste of their time. The Arms Forts have assured that no one else defies their rule.

Keith is now 16 years old and has grown taller to 5'6. His body was perfectly toned to the point where girls would daydream about him.

Katrina is 17 years old and now stood at the same height as her lover. She now had the curves of a young woman; her breasts are well formed, not too big or small, just around the right size, her violet eyes gave her a glow, her skin was cream colored. All of these factors gave Katrina a body most men would die to touch! However, those who have received a savage kick and being called a pervert by her, she only allowed Keith to touch her intimately since she knew that Keith wouldn't do something that he would end up regretting. This made everyone jealous of Keith for having such a hot female Lynx, not that Keith could blame them.

Canis just turned 17 and was still the tallest of the group at 5'9. His body was well toned like Keith's but unlike his childhood friend, Canis hasn't had any luck of getting a girlfriend so far.

The people on Earth's surface have considered Keith and Katrina as the main leaders of the Demons of Hell while Canis was labeled as a follower. Not to mention the people adore the Demons of Hell, seeing them as mankind's greatest hope of living among the stars one day. As of late, Canis has been doing missions to support his parents since they are currently struggling in paying some bills. He transfers a portion of the Credit reward from high-paying missions to them so they can use it to pay off the amount due.

Keith looks at a mission where he has to attack a part of Line Ark. The mission's client is the League, which he and Katrina kept their dislike of them well hidden.

The briefing started, "This is your mission. We want you to take out the defense units deployed in the Line Ark zone. As you are well aware, Line Ark is the main base of the anti-establishment group that opposes the Cradles we have tried to negotiate peacefully with these revolutionaries but they have refused our offers and continue their violent attacks. You are authorized to use force in an attempt to have the enemy rejoin negotiations. We normally don't like to resort to violence but in this case, we have no choice. White Glint, Line Ark's main weapon, is currently operating in another area so there is no need to worry about it interfering during your mission. This operation shall not be difficult for a pilot of your skills, Keith. We trust that you will deliver successful results." Keith boards his NEXT and departs from Collared to set out on his mission.

His opinion about the corporations has changed over the years. When he first started out as a Lynx, his childish mind couldn't piece together the ugly truth between war and politics but as he grew and matured, he realized that war meant the accumulation of power for the corporations. More than 10 years of training, experiencing the horrors of war and facing death in the eye have made Keith a very knowledgeable person for someone of his age. He next reflects on his relationship with the girl he loves with all of his heart, Katrina.

When they met for the first time in that alleyway beneath the apartment stairwell, something warm and comforting emerged from Keith's soul when they locked eyes with one another. Katrina practically radiated of kindness and compassion, something that Keith craved after his parents' demise. From the moment of being registered as a Lynx, Katrina had always been there for him when he felt down. When they finally confessed their feelings for each other it felt like a great weight had been lifted from Keith's shoulders. To put it simply, it's like Katrina has gotten Keith to come out of his shell of pain that he once resided in.

The huge bridge of Line Ark finally comes into view and Black Dragon lands on a support structure. In front of him are packs of MTs standing on more support structures.

Serene informed, "Commence mission, eliminate the Line Ark defense units." Keith selects the OGOTO grenade cannon and locks onto the first pack of MTs.

One enemy pilot exclaimed, "A League NEXT?"

Another gritted his teeth, "Ugh, damn it not now!"

Serene watched as the number of enemies declined, "Confirmed. Half the targets have been destroyed."

Somewhere in the other area, White Glint is battling Stasis that the League sent behind Keith's back.

Otsdarva accused, "White Glint, it's because of you that Anatolia is nothing more than a smoking ruin."

The pilot of the white Armored Core shook his head, "You are wrong there, Otsdarva. Omer Science Technology saw me as a threat and they sent Rayleonard's Prototype NEXT, Aretha, to attack it. Anatolia was my home and I was defending it so don't you dare accuse me of doing something I didn't do!"

Aiming its rifles, White Glint fires at Stasis but the blue NEXT boosts to the right to avoid the incoming projectiles then retaliates with the MP-O901 PM missiles launcher only to have the missiles be shot down. One of White Glint's SALINE-05 spread missile launchers is selected and fires. Otsdarva uses his machine's speed and agility to avoid the attack and without warning gets rammed to the ground by White Glint. Taking to the air, the white NEXT is about to unleash both of its SALINE-05s when the radio beeped.

The operator said, "Steven, return to Line Ark immediately! It's under attack by a NEXT!"

Steven cried, "I'm on my way back." He then looked at Otsdarva, "Looks like we're going to have to finish this battle another time." Activating the overed booster White Glint leaves the battlefield.

Black Dragon avoids a swarm of missiles then fires back with the WADOU grenade rifle, obliterating a pair of Normal on one of the sub-bridges. The enemy rounds disintegrate upon contact with Black Dragon's Primal Armor. Keith hears the enemy pilots saying that they aren't inflicting any physical damage because of the PA and had to break it down first. The Normals are made quick work of by the 07-Moonlight laser blade. Only a few targets are remaining.

The enemy said, "Our standard weapons are useless! Where are our Normals?" Black Dragon finishes off the remaining Normals with the Assault Armor and the reinforcement with the 07-Moonlight laser blade.

Serene stated, "Confirmed all targets destroyed, mission complete. Well done, almost perfect but don't get cocky, Keith these enemies were nothing to write about."

Keith chuckled, "Cocky? That mission was too easy for me. Facing Normals and MTs are boring they don't have the firepower to give me a challenge. The only two things that can stand up to a NEXT are another NEXT and Arms Fort."

By the time White Glint returns to Line Ark Bridge, Black Dragon is gone. Steven steps out of the cockpit and looks through a pair of binoculars to survey the damage. The main bridge is undamaged including the towers so he looks at the sub-levels. That's where the damage becomes apparent. The pavement on the sub-bridges had craters here and there caused by the OGOTO grenade cannon and WADOU grenade rifle. Some of the supports are gone due to the battle. Other than that, the bridge is minor damaged. Steven concludes that the pilot who carried out this attack wanted to end this mission quickly.

After reporting the results of the mission to the client, Keith resumes drawing a couple of pictures he started a week ago. He remembers the reaction from Katrina when she heard that her pregnant mother suffered a miscarriage during her final month of pregnancy, Katrina went into depression.

Flashback 3 years ago

_The two sat on chairs outside of the CAT Scanning room. Katrina's mother suffered a nasty fall down the stairs and landed on her stomach resulting in intense pain and Scott taking her to the hospital waiting for the results was torture for Katrina since she was ecstatic about being an older sister to the baby girl that was going to be born on November 3. The doctor came out of the room and both teens stood up. _

_Katrina asked, "Well, doctor?" The doctor stayed quiet momentarily and Keith could tell that by the look of regret on his face that the news wasn't going to be pleasant. _

_The doctor finally spoke, "We've got the results and that fall your mother took had caused her to suffer a miscarriage. The baby is dead, Katrina. I'm truly sorry." The moment her mind processed that, it felt like someone drove a knife through Katrina's heart as tears started to fall from her eyes and she started shaking. _

_The following day, Katrina didn't come out of hers and Keith's room and everyone began to get worried. Keith entered the room to see her sitting on their bed hugging her legs. _

_Keith called out, "Katrina." She looked at him and Keith saw that her eyes were red and puffy from crying. He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back while whispering soothing words. They watch an episode of the Three Stooges named Cash and Carry. It proved to be a success as Katrina was laughing throughout the episode. _

End of flashback

'Life never goes the way you want it to.' Keith thought as he continued to draw.

The briefing for Canis' mission started, "Here's the mission. The client is GA America the objective is to destroy the Interior Union force docked at the Mimir Naval Port. You will be supplied with a generous amount of ordinance so don't let up until ordered to withdraw. The more damage and destruction you cause, the bigger your pay will be. This is unconfirmed but we believe that a new Arms Fort model is currently docked there for maintenance and supply if you see it, don't let it get away the client is offering a bonus for its destruction. That's about it. This is one of the few missions that you can go trigger happy. We'll be looking forward for you mission results, Canis." With that, the 17-year old heads out for the naval port in Savage Beast.

A few minutes later, Collared receives an SOS from the Tanaka nuclear power plant. A plant worker tells them that rouge NEXTs are closing in on the plant. If the plant's reactor is destroyed then cities that are provided with power from the plant will suffer a blackout.

Keith and Katrina accept the SOS and told the plant worker that they're on their way over. They board their NEXTs and head to the Tanaka plant. At the plant the defense forces are being deployed. The ground near the entrance gates sink in and then twin-barreled rail guns emerge. The guns were designed by GA America and able to penetrate an Armored Core's Primal Armor to inflict maximum damage. Air sirens sound as the enemy arrives.

The first NEXT is a two-legged medium model, colored dark gray, yellow eyes, armed with a plasma rifle mounted on the right arm, an experimental Kojima cannon, a vertical missile launcher and a sword rested on the right hip. Its name was Gray Knight.

The second one was a two-legged heavy, colored black and red eyes and its arsenal was a plasma rifle, bazooka, a missile launcher and grenade cannon. Its name was unknown.

The two begin advancing forward as the rail guns charge up and just when they are about to shoot, a malfunction occurs. Before either of the enemy NEXTs can launch an attack, a shell emerges from the sky and lands inches from them. They both look up to see Black Dragon and Red Angel descending with weapons ready.

'So these must be the rouge NEXTs that plant worker was talking about.' Katrina thought.

The Demons of Hell waste no time in picking their opponents. Black Dragon chooses Gray Knight while Red Angel faces the unknown NEXT.

Black Dragon and Gray Knight wait for the other to make the first move, Gray Knight ultimately attacks first as it draws its sword and holds it out in front of Black Dragon.

The pilot said, "Prepare to be slain by my sword, Demon of Hell."

"Hmph, I assure you this demon cannot be defeated that easily." Keith replied as the 07-Moonlight laser was ignited, "Face me if you dare."

Gray Knight's boosters light up then the NEXT races forward as the sword swings downward but automatically gets blocked by the 07-Moonlight. Surprisingly the sword doesn't break up upon contact so Keith assumes that the weapon is made of material that is resistant to laser blades. Black Dragon pushes the sword away and retaliates with a vertical slash that makes Gray Knight dodge the attack. The Kojima cannon is aimed at Black Dragon and fires but the black Armored Core quick boosts to the right and allows the cyan colored beam to fly off toward the distance harmlessly. Deciding to play fire with fire, the OGOTO grenade cannon unleashed a round only to have it being sliced in half by the sword. The halved shell explodes right in front of Gray Knight with enough force to produce a cloud of smoke. A second later, the machine speeds out of the cloud with a free hand made into a fist in preparation to punch its foe however, Black Dragon catches it with a free hand of its own as a powerful gust of wind is generated from the impact. The 07-Moonlight briefly deactivates as Black Dragon throws Gray Knight high into the air and executing the Spiral of Death. The enemy's head is driven into the ground with Black Dragon standing behind it. Gray Knight pulls its head free and turns around to continue fighting. Black Dragon's laser blade is reactivated for more close-range combat while Keith's face is perfectly calm with no hint of fear whatsoever.

Red Angel avoids a round from the unknown NEXT's grenade cannon then counter attacks with the HLC09-ACRUX which the enemy dodges easily.

The enemy Lynx said, "Once I kill you, that nuclear power plant is next. I will make sure that it produces a fireworks display."

Katrina fired back, "No you don't! I won't let allow it!" Selecting the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher Katrina fires immediately gaining a 10 lock max along with firing the SM01-SCYLLA support missiles. The projectiles inflict moderate damage and Red Angel dodges a bazooka round that was aimed for the head. The unknown NEXT fires a swarm of missiles which Red Angel shoots down with the HLC09-ACRUX before knocking out the enemy's Primal Armor with Assault Armor. Once it is down, Red Angel unloads with the WHEELING-01 and SM01-SCYLLA again this time Katrina concentrates the attack at one spot on the unknown NEXT's body the force behind it causes the hostile to fall onto its back, not wanting to wait for its opponent to get up Red Angel drives its EB-R500 laser blade into the ground then swiftly forward to create a slash attack that races to the unknown NEXT, carving a trench into the earth behind it. The attack propels Katrina's opponent even further back.

The plant worker informed, "Katrina, we're almost done fixing the rail guns. Keep him distracted for a little longer."

Katrina nodded, "Right."

Canis just got done with attacking the Mimir naval port including that new Arms Fort and is about to exit the ravine that houses the port when Savage Beast is rammed by a fast moving, unidentified object. Whatever that object was had to be of considerable size to have Savage Beast crash into one of the ravine walls. Pulling his machine free Canis looks for his attacker then he catches a blur to his left and looks at that direction to see nothing so instead he gazes at the water's reflection. That same blur appears again so Canis follows it as Savage Beast points the AR-O700 assault rifle and fires, scoring a direct hit on the blur.

It was a two-legged light NEXT, colored blue and white, green eyes and armed with twin-barreled shotguns and rocket launchers. The machine's name was Dragonfly because of the emblem on its left shoulder.

Canis said, "This wasn't mentioned in the briefing. Oh, well. At least I'll get a bigger bonus if I take out this Armored Core." He checks the remaining ammo for Savage Beast's weapons and sees that he still has enough for this battle.

Serene warned, "Something is not right with that NEXT so exercise caution when fighting it, Canis."

Canis chuckled, "Come on, Serene I have been a Lynx for over a decade now and yet it feels like you still don't have any faith in me." He cocks the AR-O700 and LR04-AIVOR and prepares for battle.

Back at the Tanaka power plant, the Demons of Hell keep the rouge NEXTs at bay as plant workers continue working on getting the rail guns online again. They search through the control system and soon discover that a bug has somehow entered it. The bug is quickly removed and the system becomes active again, the workers high-five one another.

The plant worker stated, "Katrina, we've fixed the rail guns. They should be charging up again when they are ready to fire, move out of the way because those guns can inflict possibly irreparable damage to your Armored Core."

Red Angel slices a plasma rifle round away and soon Katrina receives a warning so she pulls her NEXT away just in time before the rail guns fire, the blue beams travel at supersonic speed toward the unknown NEXT. Katrina witnesses the rail guns' destructive power blow off chunks of the enemy's armor off and the pilot realizes that if his machine takes another hit it'll be game over for him. He decides to retreat for now.

Gray Knight has sustained heavy damage in its fight with Black Dragon, its pilot breathes heavily from battle fatigue.

'I never thought I would face someone as skilled as the Demons of Hell.' He thought as Black Dragon glared at him with glowing red eyes.

Gray Knight collides with Black Dragon and the two giants roll around and the second they both get back up Gray Knight hits Black Dragon's chest with the broad side of its blade then the black Armored Core wraps an arm around Gray Knight's neck in a side head lock and points the WADOU grenade rifle at the side of the head and Keith pulls the trigger. Pieces of metal come flying off before Black Dragon lets go and blasts Gray Knight through a nearby forest with the OGOTO grenade cannon the snapping of wood can be heard before Gray Knight crashes through a hill and emerges from the other side on its back. The huge dust cloud can be seen from the distance.

Katrina watches the fight through a monitor with arms crossed under her chest. A smile dons her beautiful face.

The plant worker said, "We're about to fire the rail guns again, Katrina. Stand by."

Katrina shook her head, "There's no need for that." The man was about to protest but she assured, "Trust me. Keith has this match won."

Gray Knight struggles to get up and eventually succeeds in doing so, its AP in the red zone. Desperation kicking in, Gray Knight lunges at Black Dragon in preparation to cut it in half but ends up being on the receiving end of a spinning heel kick from Black Dragon. The dark gray enemy gets up and aims the Kojima cannon but it gets sliced in two by the 07-Moonlight laser blade causing the pilot to gasp in shock. That shock turns into rage and Gray Knight swings its sword but Black Dragon catches it and wrestles the weapon out of the foe's hands.

Keith stated, "You picked the wrong people to fight!" Black Dragon removes one of Gray Knight's arms with the 07-Moonlight, Keith narrows his eyes before slicing his enemy to pieces with both the laser blade and metal sword. Black Dragon's arms cross one another as the machine's red eyes glow in victory. Keith sees Katrina appearing on a monitor applauding him and he bows.

Katrina commented, "Very impressive, Keith. I have to say that was your best performance yet."

Keith smiled, "Thank you, love. You performed well yourself against that unknown NEXT." He hears Katrina giggle after he said that.

The plant worker cried, "The plant is unharmed thanks to you. I have to say that was some great piloting!" Keith and Katrina bid him farewell and return to Collared and Black Dragon hangs Gray Knight's sword next to Black Widow's beam sickle then both Demons of Hell power down their Armored Cores and they ride a lifting wire down to the ground. Both of them look at the objects.

Keith chuckled, "I swear, Katrina this is starting to become a hobby for me collecting an enemy's prized weapon as trophies."

Katrina giggled, "Indeed."

Dragonfly turns out to be a major pest for Canis as it doesn't allow him to get a missile lock. Whenever he does gain one Dragonfly dodges the attack with ease.

Canis sighed in irritation, "Man, he won't sit still! Think, Canis, there has to be a way to defeat this guy. Think!" He looked up at the storm clouds and saw lightning bolts flashing, "Aha! The high voltage from the lightning should be enough to overload Dragonfly's systems and make it sink. All I need to do is keep my enemy distracted long enough to determine when the next lightning bolt will strike. Won't be easy but with Savage Beast's weapons running low on ammo, my options are limited."

The last remaining rounds from the AR-O700 assault rifle are fired at Dragonfly but the blue and white enemy avoids them however, both the BM05-LAMIA AS and O601JC PM are fired next. The swarms of missiles scream toward Dragonfly and once again, the agile Armored Core shakes them off when it prepares to counter attack, Savage Beast is nowhere to be found. Dragonfly's pilot begins searching for his target yet completely unaware that the desert yellow, black striped NEXT is closer than he thinks.

Standing on top of the ravine wall and out of sight, Savage Beast stares down its prey. Canis feels that the next lightning strike should be happening anytime now when the LR04-AVIOR is brought into view, Canis looks up at the storm clouds then back down to his weapon and he decides to add a twist to his plan. Savage Beast quietly hovers above the water behind Dragonfly and points the laser rifle upward. Just like Canis anticipated another lightning bolt comes down and gets absorbed.

The pilot of Dragonfly wondered, "Where are you? Show yourself!" He receives his answer in the form of a whistle from behind and he turns his Armored Core around to see Savage Beast aiming the highly charged LR04-AVIOR laser rifle at him with the sound of crackling electricity. Lightning was clinging to the metal of the gun but since it fired laser rounds instead of ballistic ones, Canis didn't have to worry about the ammunition exploding plus the gun was made out of a mixture of titanium and depleted uranium so therefore the lightning's high energy level was dispersed evenly, further reducing the risk of exploding from an energy overload or damage to the gun.

Canis said, "You know, I hate it when other people stick their noses in my business. Attacking me just when I got done completing my mission was not a wise decision and now you will pay for that with your life." Canis pulls the trigger and the last remaining round from the LR04-AVIOR comes out of the barrel and Dragonfly's pilot is frozen in fear by the look that Savage Beast was giving him. The round's attack power is greatly increased from the lightning bolt and it blows through the target's Primal Armor and starts burning its way through the armor while electrocuting the machine at the same time. The beam eventually burns through the armor completely and Dragonfly sinks into the water, its pilot dead after being fatally burned.

With the threat now eliminated, Savage Beast returns to Collared.

That night, Keith and Katrina go on their very first date. It was the typical out to dinner and movie one but both enjoy the experience of it because neither of them had done a date before. Keith's dad had given him a general description of what a date is and crucial pointers on how to make it a success. The vital part is the person's likes and dislikes.

Katrina hugged her lover, "That date was lovely, Keith. I had a great time." They kiss after that sentence.

After they parted Keith smiled, "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Katrina. There's something I would like to give you." He opens his drawer and pulls out the two drawings he has been working on for a while. Katrina's eyes light up when she sees them.

The first picture was of him and her standing side by side while Canis stood behind them with his arms crossed and smiling. They were in a park and a passing breeze blew autumn leaves around, creating a breath taking background.

The second picture was of what Keith thought of Katrina as. She donned a pair of angel wings while wearing a sleeveless black robe with purple lining held that stopped at her upper thighs held in place by a silky purple sash. Black sleeves ran up her arms, stopping at her elbows. The background was outer space and Katrina hovered over a water planet while looking at the endless blanket of stars. Keith also added a neighboring planet and its moon behind Katrina.

This brought tears of joy to Katrina, "Keith, these pictures are amazing! It must have taken you a while to draw these with such detail and color them."

Keith said, "Keep them, they're yours." Katrina places the pictures on her dresser and hugs Keith again.

She smiled, "I love them. Thank you, Keith." After changing into their PJs, they both hop into bed and Katrina drifts off into a peaceful sleep while Keith reads a book for a little bit before he too sleeps.

A/N: Chapter 23 done. We are now in the time period where the events of Armored Core: For Answer take place. Keith and Katrina defended the Tanaka nuclear power plant from rouge NEXTs with a little help from the plant's rail guns. Plus, they went out on their first date. Keith also did some reflection on everything that has happened up to now.

Canis also had a NEXT battle of his own.

Steven and Otsdarva will have their rematch.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 24.

Vader 23A


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Arms Forts and Line Ark

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The next morning Keith wakes up from a rejuvenating sleep last night he looks at Katrina who is still sleeping soundly, a blush staining her cheeks. She must be having a really pleasant dream for that to happen. He gently removes her arm and places her head on the pillow then gets out of bed and stretched. After taking a shower and changing clothes Keith looks at the pictures he drew for his blue-haired angel, he hangs them on the wall before he exits the room.

Katrina wakes up a few minutes later and reaches out with her arm to where Keith is supposed to be but isn't so he must have woke up a bit earlier. She changes into some casual clothing and heads for the base's cafeteria. She looks at what they have for breakfast and she settles with eggs, bacon, sausage and a glass of milk Katrina joins Keith at the table he's sitting at.

Keith was eating a bowl of cereal, muffin and a glass of orange-cherry flavored Sunny D orange juice. After eating his fill, Keith drinks his Sunny D before placing the tray on the conveyer belt that takes dirty dishes to where they'll be cleaned in the back of the kitchen.

Boarding his NEXT Keith does a little free roaming he soon crosses paths with a destroyed town, immediately upon landing Black Dragon starts wandering and Keith deactivates the Primal Armor. He looks at the devastation a few fires are still raging and an eerie silence fills the air. The only sound that can be heard is Black Dragon's own footsteps.

'So many lives extinguished in the blink of an eye and for what? Power, that's what!' Keith thought. No matter how many times he sees it, it still breaks Keith's heart to see innocent people die their dreams left unfulfilled. Keith suddenly hears a sob close by and heads for that direction when he gets there he spots a little girl sitting in front of collapsed brick building. She's hugging her legs and buries her face in her arms.

The girl fails to notice Keith walking up to her. She had brown hair that went past her shoulders and pale skin, wore a white shirt and blue shorts and was barefooted. She looked to be around 5 years old.

Keith said, "Excuse me." She looked at Keith as he went on, "Why are you crying, young one?"

The girl replied, "There's no one left."

Keith asked, "Are you here all by yourself? Your parents, did they die along with others? I see, a battle took place here and you ended up in the cross fire." He walked up to the girl and knelt down, "Don't worry, young one I know the orphanage will take you in that way you won't be lonely anymore. Those people have experienced the same kind of pain that you are feeling right now." He hugs the grieving child to try and calm her down. Keith feels his shirt become wet as the girl cries and he gently caresses her hair and a sense of déjà vu hits him. This is what Katrina did when he found his parents' grave. The girl eventually stops crying and Keith breaks the hug to stand up and she thought that he is going to leave her but that is crushed when Keith holds out his hand with a sympathetic smile. The girl smiles back as she takes his hand to pull herself up and she holds onto him when they ride the lifting wire up to the open cockpit. The hatch closes and they leave the devastated area. Keith walks her to the orphanage and the runner of that place takes her in where the other children play games. Some of them holler for the brown-haired youngster to join them, this lifts her spirit up and she plays with them. Keith smiles at the sight.

The runner of the place assured, "I promise we'll take good care of her, Keith." He nods and is about to depart when he feels the little girl grab a hold of his pants he kneels down so he is at eye level with her and can see that she doesn't want him to go after he just brought her here.

He informed, "I can understand how much you want me to stay here, young one but sadly I can't. I'm a NEXT pilot and I have missions to carry out for corporations and I also don't want you to be exposed to the horrors of war more than you already are. I know losing your parents at such a young age can be heartbreaking and life changing, trust me I went through the same ordeal. Fortunately, I was able to find friends and thanks to them I have managed to get over it. I will admit I still feel that ache sometimes but I try my best not to let it get to me. I know that with the help of the others here, you will be to overcome it as well." The runner of the orphanage watches the whole scene.

'He really has changed over the years. He has a kind heart.' She thought with a smile.

Keith reached the door but then stopped and gazed at the girl, "What's your name?"

The child replied, "Amy."

Keith smiled at her, "Amy. That's a pretty name. Well, Amy, I'm Keith Oswell the pilot of Black Dragon. Just call me Keith. I must be going now so good-bye and play nice." He walks out the door and returns to Collared. With nothing else to do he chooses a mission from Interior Union.

The briefing began, "This is your mission. Your target is the Arms Fort Giga Base, currently escorted by the BFF 8th fleet. The convoy is sailing south in the Bering Sea and is a powerful force made up of large cruisers and other smaller vessels. The Fleet itself however, is not your target so don't waste ammo on it. Use a Vanguard Overed Boost unit to move past the escorts directly to the Giga Base. Get in close and destroy the target as quickly as possible. The Union will also pay you a bonus for the destruction of the supply vessels. You can ignore other secondary targets if you want. That's all for the briefing. The Union speaks highly of you, Keith. We hope you can take this on." Black Dragon is boarded onto a super aircraft carrier that will take him halfway there. He too hops aboard the giant ship and it sets sail. The massive propellers start turning, propelling the super carrier forward slow at first then faster as its speed increases. While on the way, Keith manages to take a look at the ship's schematic.

Its name is the U.S.S. Seattle and is the flagship of its class. Its hull number is CVN-91. Some of the features include a new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System or EMALS for short, AN/Spy 4 radar system, powered by 2 A1B nuclear reactors that produce improved power generation, stealthier features that help make it more difficult to be detected by enemy radar and armament that includes surface to air missiles and close-in weapon systems. Its top speed is about 40 mph.

The flagship's escort includes the battleships U.S.S. Montana and Iowa, destroyers and cruisers. The Montana and Iowa have been outfitted with the latest upgrades.

Keith gets along with the crew really well and he can see that these young men graduated at the top of their classes and have bright futures ahead of them.

It takes about two days to reach the Bering Sea and the weather is clear. Keith puts on his g-suit and enters Black Dragon once it's powered up, the EMALS engages and latches secure Black Dragon's feet. Next, the Vanguard Overed Boost unit connects with hidden latches on Black Dragon's back.

Keith called out, "Keith Oswell in Black Dragon heading out!" The main boosters light up and the Armored Core is propelled into the sky, the boosters of the VOB take over and increased the NEXT's speed to 1,764 km/h.

Serene informed, "Commence mission, eliminate the Giga Base Arms Fort it's being escorted by the BFF 8th fleet. Keep an eye out for long-range fire this Arms Fort is a defensive stronghold, don't underestimate its firepower." Just like Serene predicted, Giga Base opens fire and Black Dragon takes evasive action then all of a sudden a fire alarm sounds.

Keith said, "Houston, we have a problem."

Serene alerted, "VOB malfunction detected it's about to explode, initiating emergency purge!" The VOB detached from Black Dragon, "Those Interior bastards! What are we, guinea pigs? Looks like you will have to use standard boosts the rest of the way. What a joke of an operation!"

Black Dragon's boosters keep the mighty NEXT on the water's surface and dodge an endless rain of enemy fire. A large cruiser eats a round from the OGOTO grenade cannon and sinks while Black Dragon continues forward. Eventually, Keith reaches the enemy AF and sinks nearby supply ships before turning his attention to Giga Base. At this close range it can't use its main cannon but Keith has to watch out for secondary armament. He makes quick work of the giant vessel by targeting the connection points with the 07-Moonlight laser blade. Giga Base slowly vanishes beneath the seas.

Serene informed, "Confirmed. Giga Base has been destroyed, mission complete." Black Dragon makes the long trip back to the U.S.S. Seattle and it along with its escort set course for Collared. Upon completing its journey Black Dragon enters the hanger and Keith exits his machine then takes off his helmet.

Katrina also does an Interior Union mission. Her objective is the GA America NEXT Wonderful Body. The Interior Union will use transport trucks as bait to draw Wonderful Body to Old Peace City, once Katrina has confirmed its location she is ordered to take it out. As an option, the Union has authorized the use of support NEXTs for this mission. The chosen three are Reiterpallasch, My Bliss and Vora Nork. Seeing as this mission won't prove to be a challenge, she chooses to go solo on this one. Once arriving at Old Peace City with the transports, Katrina waits for her target to show up. She didn't have to wait long because just like her client had predicted Wonderful Body takes the bait. Donning her game face Katrina moves out.

Her operator said, "Commence mission. Eliminate the NEXT Wonderful Body."

Don Colonel exclaimed, "Finally, they've thrown a NEXT at me! The Interior Union drags their feet too much!" The GAN02-NEW SUSHINE model's weaponry included a GAN02-NSS-WR high capacity rifle, GAN02-NSS-WBS spread bazooka, OSAGE-03 missile launcher, WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher, GUYANDOTTE-04 flare shoulder units and a GAEN01-SL-WH right hanger unit. Theoretically, Wonderful Body is well balanced for both short and long-range combat but thanks to Don Colonel's average piloting skills and low AMS compatibility, he won't prove much of a threat to Red Angel. The only true threat Katrina has to watch out for is the spread bazooka at close-range.

Taking aim with the WHEELING-01 Wonderful Body unleashes a swarm from the weapon but Red Angel quick boosts to the right then shoots them down with the MOTORCOBRA-03 machine gun and switches to the HLC09-ACRUX high laser cannon and fires, the round scores a hit. Katrina then notices that the enemy NEXT stops and walks around much to her and Serene's confusion.

Serene wondered, "What's he doing? Why is he stopping like that?" Katrina doesn't answer because she can't figure it out herself.

Eventually she gets fed up with and decides to end this charade. Her machine swiftly closes the distance and activates the Assault Armor the cyan colored sphere charges up then explodes in all directions. It brings Wonderful Body's AP down to the red zone plus the force of the explosion knocks it off its feet. It looks ahead to see Red Angel aiming its HLC09-ACRUX at it.

Don Colonel begged, "Please, Katrina show me some mercy!"

Katrina replied, "Mercy?"

Don nodded, "Yes, you wouldn't kill a NEXT pilot. It's not your way."

Katrina shook her head, "You obviously don't know about the code Keith and I follow. We normally don't kill a Lynx unless they truly deserve it or are part of a mission and since you have been designated as my mission objective by Interior Union, you must be eliminated." Don only has enough time to scream as Red Angel fires the high laser cannon at the GA02-NEW SUNSHINE and it explodes in a massive fireball.

Serene informed, "Confirmed. Wonderful Body has been destroyed, mission complete. You handled that with no trouble then again he wasn't much of a challenge." Just as Red Angel is about to leave the combat zone several GA03-SOLARWIND Normals emerge from the sand and attack it with drill missiles, the latest breakthrough in armor piercing weaponry by GA America. The projectiles climb before descending onto their target they start drilling through Red Angel but shortly after they start, they twist and explode. It seems that Red Angel's armor is more resilient than previously thought. The pilots see Red Angel power up the HL09-ACRUX again while glaring at them at the same time with those cobalt blue eyes. A few of them automatically begin regretting their actions as they see death staring at them. Once the power reaches 100%, Red Angel fires its back weapon. The red Armored Core does a steady 360 turn as it eradicates its attackers. Katrina can hear the pilots scream in horror before their lives are extinguished. When all of the targets are eliminated the HLC09-ACRUX returns to standby mode and Katrina returns to Collared for her reward. After powering Red Angel down and ride the lifting wire down, Katrina takes her helmet off then undoes the tie in her hair shaking her blue locks free. Because her hair has grown to its present length, Katrina had to tie it into a bun before going on missions.

The following Monday of next week is the same old routine for the Demons of Hell. The majority of the missions on the list don't interest Keith until one catches his interest.

The briefing started, "Here's your mission. The client is Omer Science Technology and the objective is BFF Corporation's main Arms Fort, Spirit of Motherwill. The enemy AF is armed with large-bore, long-range weapons. It's an oversized, out of date machine, but the long-range punch it can deliver still makes it a serious threat. To counter this, the client has proposed that you use a Vanguard Overed Boost unit to approach the target its tremendous speed should allow you to close in on the target's perimeter without getting hit. Once you've gotten through, target the gun batteries and missile launchers. Destroying them will also cause damage to the machine's interior. It's pretty poorly designed but that kind of sloppy work is expected of them. That is all. This is a very important mission for Omer Science Technology we hope you can come through for us." With that, Keith sets out on his mission. The VOB attaches to Black Dragon and takes off.

The League has focused on maintaining complete and utter control and agreed that this goal can't be entrusted to any single person who if eliminated, would jeopardize their rein. So in the aftermath of the Lynx War, the League manufactured enormous battlestations called Armed Forts. Manned by a crew of thousands of expandable soldiers, this was military might the League could control and therefore trust. Arms Forts became the perfect solution for the League's needs and their firepower far exceeds that of the average NEXT. Dream and hope as they might, the NEXT pilots know that those who dare take on giants rarely survive to talk about the encounter. Keith was about to meet one of these behemoths. Black Dragon speeds through Old Peace City, where the enemy AF is slowly advancing through.

Serene informed, "Commence mission, destroy the BFF Arms Fort, Spirit of Motherwill. First the VOB will let you quickly close in on the target. This is real high-speed combat, Keith so you'll need 100% focus no screw ups!"

Keith is soon greeted by the Arms Fort's cannons and he dodges the rounds with ease despite moving at 1,674 km/h. Upon halfway there, the VOB detaches from Black Dragon and Keith continues forward using standard boosting to avoid enemy fire. A few minutes later, an enraged roar is heard then Keith sees Champion Champs closing fast on Black Dragon's radar.

Serene's eyes narrowed in confusion, "Killdozer? What's he doing here? Never mind about that. Keith, take him out."

Killdozer fire a swarm of missiles at Black Dragon but Black Dragon avoids them without difficulty. They both have to move out of the way as Spirit of Motherwill fires its massive cannons at them followed up by a rain of missiles.

The enemy pilot roared, "Damn youuuuuuuuu!"

'What's he accusing Keith of?' Serene thought as she watched them fight.

Black Dragon braces itself as Champion Champs races toward it and tackles it to the ground before Killdozer aims its YAMAGA grenade cannon at Black Dragon's chest. Quickly realizing what its enemy has in mind, Black Dragon kicks Killdozer and fires its OGOTO grenade cannon only to have it being countered by the enemy's YAMAGA grenade cannon. The two shells collide and create a massive fireball. Using the black smoke cloud as cover, Black Dragon resumes heading toward the BFF Arms Fort.

Serene nodded, "Good, you're in. Remember the briefing take out those cannons and missile launchers, if our Intel is right that should take it out in one fell swoop." Following her instructions, Keith targets the primary objectives.

It wasn't long before Keith heard an AF operator exclaimed, "Fire in block 5!" As more missile launchers were taken out the man went on, "Fire in Block 8 and 4! The main shaft is taking damage, we can't control it!" Keith next targets the massive cannons and he keeps hearing the operator saying that temperatures inside the main shaft are out of control and thus overheating it.

'Just one cannon left and this Arms Fort will be history.' Keith thought.

With the last gun battery destroyed, the AF operator ordered, "All hands, prepare for ground evacuation! All hands, abandon vessel! Get out, Motherwill is breaking apart!" The BFF giant stops its advance and explosions start ripping it apart.

Serene cried, "Confirmed. Motherwill has fallen now all that is left is Killdozer." Black Dragon takes off as the runway-like decks start to buckle and the NEXT gains some distance before a massive explosion blows the Arms Fort to pieces. A part of the runway-like deck bearing the Bernard & Felix Foundation logo lands inches behind Black Dragon.

Killdozer lunges from behind the piece of debris in an attempt to do a surprise attack on its enemy but Black Dragon whips around and unleashes the WADOU grenade rifle at the SUNSHINE NEXT, knocking it on its back.

Keith told his operator, "Hey, Serene it seems the League sees me and Katrina as a threat to them, not just Line Ark. I believe that's the reason why Champion Champs is out here. The League sent him here to kill me. I have a feeling that Omer Science Technology will target Line Ark soon."

Serene raised an eyebrow, "You think so?"

The enemy NEXT smacks Black Dragon into a building then the black Armored Core launches itself right out and grabs Killdozer not wasting a minute, Black Dragon blasts the opponent through another building. Keith fires a salvo of missiles to add further devastation! Killdozer emerges from the rubble and its pilot is beyond livid. Keith can feel the huge amount of malice being directed at him but he doesn't falter since he's grown accustomed to such things.

The enemy pilot growled, "You will die! You hear me, Demon? You will die!"

Keith fired back, "I dare you to try."

Taking the bait, Killdozer comes at Black Dragon with predatory hunger but gets sent into the air by a brutal kick and Black Dragon jumps with a little aid from its main boosters. All of a sudden the DOZAR parts on the Armored Core's arms are jettisoned and laser blades take their place. With a bloodthirsty roar, Killdozer leaps into the air then descends with the blades aimed at Black Dragon. The weapons are stopped from hitting their intended target by the 07-Moonlight. Black Dragon thrusts its opponent back before firing the OGOTO grenade cannon at it the two NEXTs speed towards one another and swing their blades simultaneously. Initially, neither of them moved an inch then Killdozer's left arm falls to the ground indicating that Champion Champs' defeat is near. Refusing to quit fighting Killdozer aims to cut Black Dragon's head off but stops unexpectedly when Champion Champs feels a cold chill run down his spine from the menacing glare Black Dragon is giving and his mind plays tricks on him as the black Armored Core changes into the mythical creature it's named after. The pilot pulls back to get his mind back into gear.

'What was that just now? I never felt a chill that freezing cold in my life. And was that dragon a hallucination created by battle fatigue?' Champion Champs wondered in confusion.

Keith noticed his opponent's sudden stop and asked, "What's wrong? I thought you said you were going to kill me. Are you beginning to have doubts?"

Regaining his focus, Champion Champs resumes battling his opponent. Black Dragon swings the 07-Moonlight diagonally upward and gets blocked by Killdozer's remaining laser blade then the enemy Armored Core executes a high kick and Black Dragon cancels it with a high kick of its own. Black Dragon throws a right hook that sends Killdozer across the sand followed by a back flip kick. Killdozer activates its overed booster for a piercing stab but is caught and Black Dragon gets pushed back from the overed booster's immense speed. Black Dragon whips around behind Killdozer with the left arm raised in the air. With a fiery intensity in his eyes, Keith delivers the coup de grad. Champion Champs only has enough time to gasp before he, along with his NEXT, gets cut in half. Black Dragon uses the overed booster to leave the mission area before the now halved Killdozer explodes little did Keith know that a white NEXT had watched the entire ordeal.

Serene exhaled, "Mission complete at last!" Keith exits Black Dragon after returning to Collared. After showering and changing clothes, Keith sits on a bench near a window on the base's first floor. He is soon enveloped in a hug from his lover.

Katrina beamed, "Welcome back, my love." She saw the upset look on his face, "What's wrong?"

Keith said, "The League sent Killdozer to kill me while I was on a mission to destroy Spirit of Motherwill."

Katrina gasped, "What?"

Keith nodded, "Yeah, apparently they see us as a major threat to their rule of Earth. Did anything out of the ordinary happen on your mission?"

The blue-haired teen shook her head, "None that I'm aware of." They spend the rest of the day enjoying each other's company.

At Line Ark the white NEXT returns to its hanger and the pilot disembarks from his machine while walking he thinks back to the battle he just witnessed he was impressed by how Keith kept his cool despite being briefly outnumbered.

'He's gotten a lot better in piloting Black Dragon since the last time I saw him. I think it's time to see them again. I'm sure Fiona would love to.' He thought.

The next day, Keith is doing a systems check inside his Armored Core and Katrina stands on a walkway with a laptop in her hand overseeing the procedure. The systems check proceeds smoothly until Keith hears a beep making him look at the monitor and discovers that he's got a new message. He reads through it and when he is finished Keith's eyebrows go up.

He stuck his head out of the cockpit and said, "Hey, Katrina come over here! I just received a message!" Katrina places the laptop onto a pile of wooden boxes and steps onto the core part since the walkway was suspended next to it. She climbs into the cockpit to see the message being displayed on the monitor.

She asked, "Who sent this?"

Keith shook his head, "I don't know. It has no signature on it. I'll read it to you. It says: 'Greetings, pilot of Black Dragon. Your piloting skills are mighty impressive and I wish to meet you next week. Meet me at Line Ark Bridge. I'll be waiting.'" It only takes the two a couple of minutes to know that only one NEXT pilot is affiliated with Line Ark.

Katrina looked at Keith, "Looks like he wants to talk to us."

Keith closed his eyes, smiling, "Indeed. We'll meet him tomorrow." Keith and Katrina head to bed at 11:00 p.m. that night. The next morning they wake up, make their bed, shower, eat breakfast, brush their teeth, don their g-suits and board their NEXTs then head for Line Ark.

The Demons of Hell arrive at the bridge around noon. Upon landing on the main bridge they wait. It isn't long before they see a white star in the distance and as it came closer, it begins to take the shape of White Glint. It lands and the hatch to the cockpit slides open and two people step out. Keith and Katrina mirror their action and all four of them ride down a lifting wire then start walking toward one another. The pilot of White Glint removes his helmet. Behind her black visor, Katrina's eyes widen in shock.

The man had short red hair, blue eyes and stood at 6'4 and had a muscular body.

His companion was 5'11, had bob cut-styled blonde hair, brown eyes, strong and toned figure along with womanly curves and silky smooth skin. Unlike White Glint's pilot she wore a short white T-shirt that showed her toned stomach, blue shorts that displayed her beautiful legs and white shoes.

Both of them were 34 and 33 years old.

Keith said, "Hello, Steven and Fiona, it's been 10 years since we last met." Keith and Katrina remove their helmets and Fiona gasped.

She said, "Keith! Katrina! You two have grown since our last meeting."

Katrina smiled at them before turning serious, "Okay, Steven why did you contact Keith besides wanting to see us?"

Steven grew serious as well, "I'm sure you two are perfectly aware of the increasing pollution that plagues the Earth's surface and the Cradles System. Well, we oppose the League and their Cradles System. They are oblivious to the fact that the pollution will reach the atmosphere and once that happens, everyone will be in trouble. That's why we are asking you to help us fight against the League. You don't have to give me an answer immediately, think about it for a while then tell me. How about you guys spend a night here? I'm sure you two will like the cities Line Ark has to offer."

Keith and Katrina gazed at each other before Katrina answered, "Okay. Spending a night won't hurt."

Fiona smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. Follow us." Keith and Katrina board their NEXTs and follow White Glint into Line Ark.

Once passing the bridge, the Demons of Hell see the capital of the self-government, Line Ark City. It was like New York City with towering structures hundreds of feet high. After exiting their Armored Cores in the hanger White Glint uses, Steven and Fiona give them a tour of the city. The inhabitants look at the Demons of Hell with awe. They've been hearing stories about them.

One said, "It's them! The Demons of Hell! They're real!"

His female friend added, "But they're so young. I was expecting young adults."

The man chuckled, "Think again. Those teens have defeated some of the finest NEXT pilots in the world, even seasoned veterans. They didn't earn that nickname by accident. Rumor has it that even the vile League is afraid of them."

His companion raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Fiona turned her head to look at Keith and giggled, "Your reputation extends far beyond your home country." Later that evening, Steven treats Keith and his lover to one of the finest restaurants they have ever seen. After that, the group head for an Inn.

The place had a huge, luxurious bathing area, which was the Inn's main attraction. A wooden fence divided the hot spring so that both genders could bath in it. The four are currently enjoying feeling the warm water easing their tense muscles. Katrina and Fiona are in the female section and their towels are on a pair of folding chairs.

Fiona said, "So Katrina, tell me what has been going on between you and Keith over the past decade."

Katrina told her, "Oh, just fulfilling our duties as mercenaries. Taking on missions, defeating enemy NEXTs, the usual but it hasn't been completely boring." A blush stained her cheeks, "Keith and I grew close as the years went by until we ultimately confessed our feelings for one another and we have been lovers ever since. I tell you, Fiona, Keith was the right person to fall for. He's strong, compassionate, has a big heart and cherishes those close to him. Whenever I'm with him, a warm sensation fills my heart and I feel like I can do anything. Maybe someday, he'll propose to me in marriage."

The blonde smiled warmly, "Congratulations, Katrina. I feel the same way with Steven he shares the same traits that Keith does. Have you two taken the next step in your relationship?"

Katrina shook her head, "Not yet. We promised to wait until the Economic War is over."

Fiona gained a mischievous look on her face, "And with the body you have especially around your chest, you can seduce him easily." On the man's side of the hot spring, Keith tells Steven the same thing but also adds some of the close calls they had over their careers. Steven is both surprised and proud of Keith for doing what he thinks is right.

Like Katrina, Keith has been considering what the future will hold beyond this war.

At the League's building, a sub-ordinate informs a representative of the League about what the Demons of Hell did. The man's chair is turned around so he can stare out the window.

He asked, "So the Demons of Hell have met up with Line Ark's White Glint, eh?"

The sub-ordinate answered, "Yes. They did it earlier today and I strongly believe that Line Ark is attempting to persuade them to join their cause."

The representative smiled evilly, "So the Demons of Hell think they can take the League on even though they are outnumbered? Heh, they're either brave or extremely foolish with this course of action. I think they need to be taught a lesson on what happens to those who dare to defy us."

At a luxurious hotel in Line Ark, Keith stands on balcony outside of the room that he shares with his lover. He looks up at the clear starry night sky as he contemplates on the League's view of things. The Denver incident is still fresh in his mind. The League covered it up and didn't give all those poor souls who were murdered in cold blood a funeral. His distrust with them started there and hasn't lessened at all since. A meteor shower occurs and Keith takes in the sight.

He is joined by Katrina who rests her head on his shoulder. She was wearing her pajamas.

Keith said, "I have made my decision, Katrina. The League has treated us residents on the Earth's nearly uninhabitable surface like low lives. It's time for us to take a stand against them."

Katrina agreed, "I'm with you, love. My tolerance for them has ran out they need to feel the pain that the people who reside on this planet's surface have been living with all their lives. We will tell Steven of our decision in the morning."

A/N: Okay, chapter 24 finished. I was suffering a mental block while doing this chapter so I pulled back and waited until it cleared and this came out as a result of it.

Looks like the League have attempted to kill Keith not once but twice. Keith and Katrina have a reunion with Steven and Fiona after 10 years.

This is where Keith and Katrina's rebellion against the League officially starts.

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 25.

Vader 23A


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Change of Allegiance

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

The next morning, Keith and Katrina wake up at around 8:30 a.m. and do their usual morning routine before heading to the hotel's restaurant for breakfast Steven and Fiona are already in line when they show up. Today's high is expected to be about 47 degrees Fahrenheit so the four wear shirts and pants.

They are directed to a table and they grab the menus to see what the restaurant has. Their assigned waiter shows and asks them if they were ready to order and they nod. Keith said that he will have country fried steak with eggs, sausage, crispy potatoes and a glass of chocolate milk, Katrina orders a group of pancakes with bacon strips and glass of orange juice, Steven will have the same thing that Keith is having and Fiona will have waffles, buttered toast and a cup of coffee. The waiter writes the orders down in his little book and informs them that their food will be ready in 15 minutes, with that he leaves them. Now that the waiter is gone, it was time to talk.

Steven asked, "So Keith and Katrina have you made your decision?"

Keith nodded, "Yes. We have decided to fight the League because looking back on it, they are tyrants."

Fiona smiled, "Glad to hear that."

Katrina added, "Aren't there other pilots facing the League?"

Steven shook his head, "Besides you two, no there isn't. If there were we'd ask for their assistance because we don't have the military might to fully take on the League." 15 minutes later, their food arrives and they start eating. A short time later, all of the meals are consumed and the group was happy with a full stomach. Steven pays the toll and then they leave to walk around Line Ark City while letting their food be digested. The residents of the city see the Demons of Hell and wave with a smile, which Keith returns.

'These people are really friendly.' He thought.

Katrina cried, "Hey, Fiona can I ask something?"

Fiona answered, "Sure. What is it?"

Katrina asked, "Are these people actual residents of Line Ark City or did they migrate here?"

The blonde answered, "Half of them actually live here while the rest came from other colonies that have become uninhabitable due to Kojima contamination. Line Ark is one of the few places that aren't polluted by Kojima waste products."

Suddenly, the watch that Steven is wearing beeps and he looks to see that an emergency has arisen and the group heads for the mission room after Keith, Katrina and Steven slip into their g-suits! The monitor comes on and the Line Ark logo appears on the screen.

The briefing started, "Here is our emergency. The League is launching an all-out offensive against Line Ark. They have been trying to break us through indirect, surreptitious means for some time but we have stood firm now they are dropping the pretense and showing their true colors. The ace up our sleeve is White Glint but if the League comes at us with all of their might, even that won't be enough. That's we need you to be our trump card. The corporations abandoned the planet's surface and the people who live on it. They are no longer part of a rational economic system that supports society. They have become nothing more than elitist parasites! You know the truth. A world ruled by the League is doomed. We the people must control our own lives and build our own future! Of course we will pay you as much as we can. Please, help us in this fight for freedom!" Hearing the desperation in the briefing person's voice, the Demons of Hell can't say no so they accept.

Keith, Katrina and Steven board their respective NEXTs and head out for Line Ark Bridge since they know that it's the only entrance to the city. Black Dragon, Red Angel and White Glint land on the sub-bridge waiting for the assault and in no time, Black Dragon's radar detects enemy bogeys.

Otsdarva said, "Those slimy politicians with their empty calls to arms, 'In the name of liberty.' Ha! I'll sink you all to the bottom of the ocean! You ready, Fragile?"

His partner answered, "Preparations are complete."

Otsdarva ordered, "That's good to hear. Move out!" Both NEXTs activate their overed boosters and proceed to their objective.

With the Demons of Hell and White Glint, Keith continues to watch as their targets approach.

Serene informed, "Commence mission, co-operate with White Glint and eliminate the League NEXTs. We've detected two enemy NEXTs, Stasis and Fragile. What, Stasis? That's piloted by Otsdarva, the former rank 1 Lynx! The League isn't holding back this time."

Stasis and Fragile continue forward when suddenly Stasis is kicked back hard and once the blue Armored Core stops grinding against the ground, Otsdarva looks at his attacker.

He smirked, "Demons of Hell. You guys have decided to betray the League. You do know that the punishment for treason is death, right?" Black Dragon steps forward with White Glint.

Keith stated, "That's none of your business. Prepare yourself, Otsdarva I'm going to kill you here and now! But you, Fragile, you stay out of this!"

CUBE fired back, "The League has deemed Line Ark a serious threat and as such, it must fall. If you get in the way, you will fall as well."

Just then, Serene alerted, "An SOS has just come in from Line Ark City a third enemy NEXT has launched a surprise attack! They are requesting immediate assistance!"

Katrina replied, "I'll go and protect the city. You guys focus on taking out those goons in front of you." Both allied Armored Cores watch as Red Angel activates the overed booster then blasts off toward Line Ark City and both of her allies turn back around to face their opponents.

Keith growled dangerously, "Otsdarva, CUBE, how dare you!" The other present Lynx can feel a dark aura around Black Dragon from the huge amounts of killer intent Keith is giving off. Weapons are readied and all 4 fighters commence battle.

Black Dragon dodges a round from Stasis' ER-O705 energy rifle then counters with its WADOU grenade rifle Stasis quick boosts out of the way and the shell destroys one of the buildings surrounding Line Ark City, the obliterated structure sinks beneath the waves. Stasis unleashes the MP-O901 at its opponent but Black Dragon shakes them off then releases a missile swarm of its own at the blue LAHIRE NEXT. The ER-O705 is fired again and gets countered by Black Dragon's grenade rifle. The black machine had to pull back as Fragile aims its XCG-B050 chain guns at Black Dragon, making both teams switch opponents with Fragile facing Black Dragon and White Glint against Stasis.

Otsdarva said, "White Glint, all those silly legends die today! I've surpassed you and now I will prove it by defeating you!"

Steve fired back, "Like the way Keith kicked your ass more than once?" He selects both SALINE-05s and locks onto his foe. Upon achieving at 10 lock max, Steven pulls the trigger commanding the spread missile launchers to the deadly projectiles from their confinement. Stasis avoids the attack and fires the MP-O901 missile launcher again. White Glint's speed and agility comes to its aid in dodging the missiles then the white Armored Core points its rifles and shoots round after round before reloading. Otsdarva makes a foolish mistake in bringing his machine too close to White Glint and barely avoids getting hit by Assault Armor, making Steven smirk. He knows that Otsdarva came dangerously close to meeting his end. The SALINE-05s spread missile launchers are once more fired at Stasis silently telling Otsdarva that if Steven is going down then he will take the former rank 1 Lynx with him.

At Line Ark City, the third enemy NEXT continues its attack while panicked civilians run for safety. Their attacker targets a group with its high-laser cannon but just before its power is unleashed, Red Angel comes to the civilians' rescue kicking the foe away. The civilians use this opportunity to escape from the inevitable battle between the two giants. The hostile Armored Core gets up and turns to glare at Red Angel. Katrina recognized who it is, it's Blind Fold piloted by the rank 13 Lynx Jan.

His NEXT was a gray colored SOLDNER-G8 model developed by the corporation Aldra and successor to the HILBERT-G7 he used during the Lynx War. The armament included a BZ-BROCKEN lightweight bazooka, GRA-TRAVERS lightweight handheld grenade launcher, HLC09-SIRIUS high-laser cannon and an RD03-PANDORA radar unit. The HILBERT-G7 he previously piloted was equipped with laser weaponry but both incarnations of the NEXT have the exact same theme of "Overwhelming firepower at the cost of ammo supply." Or to put it more simply, Blind Bold was a power house and Katrina got to experience that first hand during an Arena match. She came awfully close to losing but Red Angel's Assault Armor gave her the victory over him. During that time however, Katrina was still green in piloting a NEXT hence the reason why Jan nearly defeated her. This time she was more prepared!

She said, "Hello, Jan. It's certainly been quite some time since we last faced each other in battle, huh?"

Jan nodded, "Indeed. You know if this was by my decision I wouldn't be launching this attack because I do not like seeing the innocent get hurt. Unfortunately, I don't have much choice in the matter because I know what will happen if I disobey the League's orders. Please don't take this personally, I'm just following orders."

Katrina chuckled, "Likewise if you wind up dead or severely injured due to this battle, don't hold a grudge against me." Both Lynx have mutual respect for one another.

Blind Bold shoots the GRA-TRAVERS grenade launcher at its target but Red Angel thwarts it with 03-MOTORCOBRA machine gun. Jan switches to the HLC09-SIRIUS and Katrina does the same thing with her HLC09-ACRUX both beams are fired at the same time and enter a lock up. Back and forth ensues before the beams explode in a draw, knocking both Armored Cores off their feet and get back up a second later. Deciding that this battle won't be determined by weapons Katrina and Jan switch to physical combat. Red Angel tosses the machine gun while Blind Bold places its hand held weapons down then both machines speed toward the other and their fists collide.

Out of the corner of his eye, Steven can see Black Dragon and Otsdarva battling to the death. Katrina told him earlier that both of these guys utterly despised each other but for different reasons. Keith hated Otsdarva because of the disrespect he showed Keith for an entire year and Otsdarva despised Keith because the 16-year old took his rank number since he took it as a severe blow to his pride.

Stasis swings its storage blade at the opponent but Black Dragon blocks it with the 07-Moonlight and a punch connects with the side of Stasis' head, sending spiraling back before Otsdarva corrects his Armored Core. Keith's knuckles pop as he tightens his grip on the control sticks, murderous intentions in mind.

'Keith is serious on killing me, isn't he? He's going all out on me!' Otsdarva thought.

Keith told him, "You know, Otsdarva if you hadn't acted like an asshole during my initial days as a Lynx then you wouldn't have found yourself in this situation. Perhaps after you die you will have realized that insulting me was foolish to do." The black-haired American teen resumes his attack. Black Dragon goes for a horizontal strike with the 07-Moonlight laser blade which Stasis dodges but fails to avoid an axe handle slam that sends Stasis crashing into the water and the black Armored Core's eyes glow an evil red color as it waits for Stasis to surface. In no time, it did with water dripping from its skinny body. Keith can hear Otsdarva breathing heavily and takes this as an indication that the intense battle is making him fatigued. Taking aim with the MP-O901 missile launcher, Stasis launches a bunch of projectiles only to have its enemy avoid them and retaliating with the WHEELING-01. Stasis mirrors Black Dragon's actions in preventing from getting hit by the missiles and shoots the AR-O700 assault rifle at it. Stasis receives moderate damage from Black Dragon's Assault Armor sending the hostile NEXT's AP down to the red zone and immediately follows up the attack with a round from the WADOU grenade rifle. Then something unexpected happens.

Otsdarva exclaimed, "What? Main boosters have stopped all of a sudden! Damn it, I'm sinking! I can't go down like this!" Keith watches as the blue LAHIRE machine sinks into the ocean depths Keith knows that there's no way Stasis would be able to withstand the crushing pressures of the deep. When Stasis' signature vanishes from Black Dragon's radar, Keith feels satisfaction run through him. The man that had disrespected him for so long is no more. Now Keith can turn his attention to Fragile, which is still fighting White Glint.

White Glint fires both the 051ANNR and 063ANAR rifle at Fragile, which the X-SOBRERO NEXT avoids with no trouble but had to take evasive action if it didn't want to get by Black Dragon's grenade rifle.

CUBE said, "Looks like you left me with no choice, initiating Plan D."

'Plan D?' Steven wondered in his head.

Blind Bold savagely kicks Red Angel through an enormous skyscraper and the top of the structure crashes onto Red Angel with a thunderous impact. The gray SOLDNER-G8 machine waits for the dust to clear instead Red Angel bursts through it and spears Blind Bold to the ground and delivers hard punches until Blind Bold tosses its enemy off with authority. It struggles to get up, having sustained heavy damage to its frame while Red Angel only had moderate damage despite the fact that it was getting tossed around like a rag doll. Grabbing Blind Bold, Red Angel runs its head through neighboring buildings with the sound of shattering glass and steel before ending it with a throw. Blind Bold corkscrews through the air before crashing to the ground.

Katrina heard Jan chuckle, "I haven't had this much fun battling you for so long, Katrina."

Katrina chuckled as well, "The only reason why you had the upper hand the last time we fought was because I was still a rookie but not this time around." The HLC09-ACRUX high-laser cannon is fired and Blind Bold ducks allowing the beam to fly past Jan but still manages to graze his machine's radar unit. Blind Bold retaliates with its bazooka only to have it being cut in half by Red Angel's EB-R500 laser blade. Katrina was about to commence another attack when a warning alarm tells her to avoid a missile swarm heading her way. The projectiles miss their intended target and crash into nearby buildings. Both Red Angel and Blind Bold turn to look at the one who launched those missiles.

The machine was a reverse-legged Algebra EKAHAZAR model colored white. Its weaponry included a LABIATA mid-range rifle, CANTUTA extended-range machine gun, both developed by Algebra, a SALPA ultra-lightweight grenade launcher and an MP-O200l scatter missile launcher manufactured by Omer Science Technology. The machine's name was Moroz piloted by Irbis Ornstein.

Jan asked in confusion, "Irbis, what is the meaning of this?"

Irbis replied nonchalantly, "The League knew that you would waste your time doing this pathetic fight with Katrina and so they have sent me to finish this."

Blind Bold tries to stand but immediately falls to one knee, obviously the damage was more severe than first thought then Jan gets the surprise of his life when he sees Red Angel stand in front of him. His opponent had become his protector!

Irbis stated, "The League will be most pleased to hear that the Demons of Hell are dead."

Katrina fired back, "Hate to break it to you but that's not going to happen. The one who's going down is you, Ornstein! Jan, I think retreat would be the best option for you right now because as it stands, one more hit and it's game over for you."

Jan sighed, "You're right. I guess we'll have to finish our battle some other time." The excessively damaged SOLDNER-G8 Armored Core leaves the battlefield for much needed repairs to its body.

Red Angel fires the remaining ammo of the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher and SM01-SCYLLA support missiles at Moroz before jettisoning all of the ranged weapons until only the EB-R500 is left. Normally, a pilot would only do this as a last resort in a drawn-out fight, this made the NEXT lighter and more agile.

Irbis taunted, "Someone's getting desperate."

Katrina rolled her eyes, "Oh, shut up." The AALIYAH/M main boosters light up and thanks to the reduced weight Red Angel's speed increases. The road gets blown off from the sudden acceleration and Moroz barely manages to avoid a slash that's aimed for the EKAHAZAR core part. Moroz unleashes its LABIATA mid-range rifle but Red Angel slices the bullet in two and it flies past Red Angel's head before exploding. The red Armored Core throws hard right hook and sends Moroz crashing through a series of buildings and pursues the white colored enemy.

Back with Black Dragon, White Glint, and Fragile, Black Dragon and White Glint put up a serious against Fragile but then White Glint's main boosters fail and it sinks into the water.

Fiona informed, "White Glint has been disabled! He cannot come to your aid anymore, Keith I'm sorry."

CUBE said, "Now it's one against one. Test applicability increased, excellent."

Keith cried, "If you think I'm more predictable then you're sadly mistaken because you will be joining Otsdarva on the ocean floor." Fragile's XMG-030 machine guns open fire but Black Dragon dodges the rounds with ease. The murderous look in Keith's deep blue eyes is now replaced with blazing intensity as each enemy attack is avoided. The one thing that is on Keith's mind is showing CUBE what happens when the Demons of Hell get serious in a NEXT battle. Fragile receives a kick to the face by Black Dragon and the X-SOBRERO NEXT bounces off the ocean surface before CUBE is able to get his machine air born again. Starting to become incensed by how long this mission is taking, the XMG-030 machine gun fire once again and Black Dragon deflects them with the 07-Moonlight laser blade then glares at the enemy with those red eyes.

'What's this bizarre feeling I'm sensing?' CUBE thought.

Keith asked, "You having second thoughts now?" Fragile fires the last of its machine gun's ammo at Black Dragon but just before the trigger can be pulled, Fragile's hands get cut off by Black Dragon's laser blade. Realizing that retreat is the best option, CUBE starts to pull out until he feels Black Dragon grab Fragile's foot preventing it from escaping.

CUBE demanded, "Let go this instant!"

Keith shook his head, "No, I will not. Lay harm on the innocent and you will suffer the consequences!" A blast from the Assault Armor finishes Fragile and Black Dragon lets go.

CUBE exclaimed, "Energy flow is reversing from the AMS!" He screams in pain as Fragile sinks to its watery grave.

Black Dragon lands on Line Ark Bridge and turns around to look at the entrance to Line Ark City. Keith had a gut-feeling that Katrina's battle was approaching its end.

Moroz's body had dents and scorch marks from its battle with Katrina. Red Angel walks up to it and glares down, Irbis feels a chill running down his spine as he stares into the cold, glowing cobalt blue eyes that held a promise of imminent death.

Katrina asked him, "Are you regretting of ever interfering in my match against Jan?"

Irbis begged in fear, "P-please, K-Katrina forgive me. I-I-I-I was just following orders from the League."

Katrina replied, "Perhaps, you should have thought of the consequences of this transgression. For attacking these innocent people, the punishment is death." Red Angel drives the EB-R500 laser blade into Moroz's chest, ending the fight. She joined Keith on the bridge her machine's ranged weaponry reattached to Red Angel before she left the city.

Serene said, "Confirmed. Enemy attack has been thwarted, mission complete. In the end only you two remain, I can't believe it. Just a brief moment of relief, let's make the most of it."

Fiona cried, "Keith, Katrina, allow me to express our gratitude. Thank you. However, this might be the end for Line Ark."

Katrina told her, "We will continue to fight against the League, no matter what."

Fiona smiled, "Thank you."

Keith asked, "What will you do, Fiona?"

Fiona answered, "I don't know right now. You two should focus on saving humanity." Black Dragon along with Red Angel made their way back to Collared. Once there, they head for their quarters when they pass a meeting and Keith can hear people talking so they listen in. Inside the meeting room, some of the other NEXT pilots review over the attack.

Lilium informed, "Line Ark's White Glint, Fragile and Moroz have been heavily damaged, Stasis sank into the sea and Otsdarva has been labeled MIA. According to our intelligence, the only confirmed survivors of that battle are White Glint's partners, Keith and Katrina."

Wong Shoa-Long scoffed, "They got too cocky for their own good especially our boy genius Otsdarva."

Wynne D. Fanchon narrowed her eyes, "Maybe, maybe not. Something about this whole thing smells fishy."

Shoa-Long continued, "In any case, White Glint has fallen and I highly doubt that the Demons of Hell are going to be Line Ark's successors. We have achieved our primary objective." Wynne D. then went on about the attacks that the Arteria facilities have been suffering recently, this catches Keith and Katrina's attention since they were not informed about it until now. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, they head for their quarters.

The next day, Canis decides to do a mission since he's bored. It was unusually windy as well and they were howling as well, almost like it's telling everyone that something foreboding is about to happen.

The briefing began, "I'll tell you about your mission. The client is Algebra and your objective is to eradicate the NEXT at the Richland Agriculture Plant. There's little info about the target but what we do know is that it's not affiliated with Collared and is a two-legged heavy. Of course, the client is expecting you to co-operate with support NEXTs for this mission. Overall battle strategy is totally up to you but please, don't try and be a hero. You have allies, use them. Briefing over this is an excellent opportunity to strengthen ties with Algebra, Canis. Who knows, it might open some doors too." Feeling confident, Canis goes ahead with the mission without a support NEXT.

Upon arrival at the Richland Agriculture Plant, Canis sees the plant's MT63-MK Mamluks currently engaging with the unknown NEXT but are getting decimated by it. Getting a better look of the target Canis soon discovered this was the same NEXT that Keith and Katrina encountered during that failed attack on the Tanaka nuclear power plant.

The target was a charcoal gray composed mostly of GA America parts except for the SOLDNER-G8L legs. Its armament included a GAN01-SS-WB standard bazooka, SAMSARA plasma rifle developed by Aka Vit, a former corporation that eventually collapsed in the Lynx War and its remnants were subsumed by GA Europe to create TORUS after the war ended, an OGOTO grenade cannon, PLATTE-01 series-fire missile launcher and EUPHORIA Primal Armor Rectifier shoulder units that greatly increases its defense power. Canis managed to find out what the NEXT's name was, Ferrum Solidus.

Serene ordered, "Commence mission. Eradicate the enemy NEXT!"

Canis said, "Savage Beast in the field. This beast will knock you out right good!"

The enemy pilot cried, "Whose peon is it this time?" He saw Savage Beast and grinned, "Finally, another NEXT! Arms Forts were beginning to bore me." Judging by the voice, Canis believed that the pilot is a middle-aged man with a lot of experience behind him.

Savage Beast fires its BM05-LAMIA AS missile launcher at Ferrum Solidus but little damage is inflicted, making Canis raise an eyebrow. Savage Beast pulls a hard right turn when a lock-on warning sounded indicating that the OGOTO grenade cannon was being pointed at Savage Beast. A part of the resulting fireball bounces off Savage Beast's Prima Armor and Canis realizes that this enemy pilot is not to be taken lightly. The desert yellow, black striped Armored Core fires both its AR-O700 assault and LR04-AVIOR laser rifle at Ferrum Solidus and land inches from it. Retaliating, the enemy unleashes the PLATTE-01 in response to this Savage Beast releases flares to direct the incoming missiles away before firing back with a missile wave of its own. The surviving MTs help Canis in his fight against Ferrum Solidus by firing rockets. The charcoal gray hostile swiftly takes cares of the nuisance before returning its attention back to Savage Beast. The LANCEL two-legged medium Armored Core gets struck by the OGOTO grenade cannon and Canis struggles to stop his machine from digging into the earth for a several minutes before ultimately succeeding, Savage Beast rises to its feet with dirt falling off its massive frame. A bazooka shell flies past the head and the MP-O601JC PM missiles is fired that inflicts minor damage, showing how much the enemy NEXT's defense were enhanced by the EUPHORIA Primal Armor Rectifiers on its shoulders. Not letting up, both assault and laser rifles are used next on Ferrum Solidus before dodging a round from the SAMSARA plasma rifle.

At Collared, Keith and Katrina look at the mission list and see one with a client they've never heard of. They choose that and the screen background changes to a serious of black flags bearing the name "ORCA" waving in a snow storm.

The client said, "Greetings, Maximilian Thermidor here. We want you to infiltrate GA America's Arteria facility, Ulna, and destroy it. This mission flies in the face of everything the Cradles stand for and will be considered an act of treason, with that said I want you to listen to what I tell you. Some fled to the Cradles and live in the clean air others were abandoned, condemned to the Earth's poisonous surface maintaining this system is causing horrible on the surface, that pollution will soon start bleeding into the atmosphere itself. The Cradles were just a temporary measure humankind has no future on this planet unless we stop them! You may think I'm alarmist but I speak the truth if you believe in what I say then you must take this mission. I await your answer." The briefing screen goes blank again.

Keith asked, "What do you think, Katrina? Should we accept the request?"

Katrina answered, "The League is making everyone believe in what they are doing is right but they are lying through their teeth and I feel a sense of truth behind Thermidor's words. I say we accept the mission!" With the decision made, Keith and Katrina board their NEXTs and head for Arteria Ulna.

They arrive at the target area about 20 minutes later.

Serene ordered, "Commence mission. Destroy GA America's Arteria Ulna. The target is miles above you so start climbing, you two! You know what you're doing, what it'll mean right?"

Keith said, "Yes we know what we're doing, Serene. Besides, if we don't do something then all life as we know it will cease to exist. Just like it said in the briefing to defend Line Ark: 'A world ruled by the League is doomed we the people must control our own lives and build our own future!' I believe that time is now, the League of Ruling Companies must fall."

Katrina added, "I agree with Keith. Those corporations are nothing but egocentric, heartless, power hungry assholes. It's not their place to judge who lives and dies."

They start ascending, dodging enemy fire while doing so. They soon reach a large C-shaped ledge at the summit of a huge snow covered mountain. They manage to take a look at the target.

'This is Arteria Ulna? I was expecting something more…fancy.' Katrina thought in confusion.

The facility itself was actually a bunch of power regulators. MTs equipped with high-caliber sniper cannons and large, old-type Arms Forts guard the regulators but they pose no threat to the Demons of Hell.

A few strikes from Black Dragon's 07-Moonlight and Red Angel's EB-500 laser blade take care of them and the HLC09-ACRUX annihilates the old-type Arms Forts. With that petty defense out of the way, Keith and his lover target the power regulators. The structures don't last long against their right hand unit weapons and the eerie cyan light the regulators were emitting disappeared upon their destruction. Eventually all of them are destroyed.

Serene stated, "Confirmed. All targets destroyed, mission complete." With the destruction of Arteria Ulna, the Demons of Hell have shown their loyalty and respect towards life. The two return to Collared where the briefing screen shows the black flags again.

Thermidor said in a pleased voice, "You have shown me your answer. Welcome to ORCA!" Knowing that it won't be long before the Arteria facility's destruction hits news headlines, Keith and Katrina pack up and prepare to leave the place Keith has called home for a decade. After refilling their NEXTs ranged weapons with fresh ammo they depart from Collared once again, this time never to return.

Back at the Richland Agriculture Plant, Savage Beast and Ferrum Solidus are going at it. Savage Beast closes the distance with the enemy and trips it before planting a foot on Ferrum Solidus' chest and aiming the LR04-AVIOR in preparation to end this but the enemy pilot won't allow Canis to kill him so his machine kicks Savage Beast off then takes aim with the last remaining ammo of the PLATTE-01 series-fire missile and Savage Beast uses the last of the YASMIN flares on them. Canis knows that his enemy's AP is dangerously low and a few more hits will finish him. Loading a new clip into the AR-O700 assault rifle, Savage Beast aims it and fires at Ferrum Solidus' chest taking out the rest of its AP.

The pilot said, "Doomed to obscurity forever. Heh, what I deserve for not taking this more seriously!"

Serene cried, "Confirmed, unidentified NEXT destroyed."

Canis raised his arms in victory, "Damn, I'm awesome!" When he returns to base and collects his Credit reward, he sees personal gathering at the lounge area to listen in on the news.

The reporter said, "_At 12:30 local time, Arteria Ulna was the site of an attack by two NEXTs. Eye witnesses reported seeing them climbing towards the summit and then vanished from their line of sight. A minute later, explosions were heard from the summit and an eerie cyan light briefly appeared before fading. Soon, the NEXTs left the area_."

'I hope Keith and Katrina weren't there when the attack occurred.' Canis thought with worry. Then it hit him, he didn't see them around the base it's almost like they went MIA. He sees Sherry passing by and grabs her arm, catching her attention.

He asked, "Sherry, where's Keith and Katrina?" He notices a look of hesitation and frown on Sherry's face, she isn't going to like what she is about to tell him.

A/N: Chapter 25 complete. I'm ending it a cliffhanger.

Well, my fellow readers we're nearing the end of this story. Only one chapter left then this story is complete.

This Tuesday, Duke Nukem makes his return after 12 years in Duke Nukem Forever. I'm psyched!

Read and review.

Stick around for chapter 26.

Vader 23A


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Death of a Lover

Disclaimer: I don't own the Armored Core series, Software does. My OCs and their NEXTs belong to me.

Armored Core: Demons of Hell

Keith and Katrina follow the coordinates Thermidor gave them he also said that one of his followers will lead them. The Demons of Hell know that their attack on Arteria Ulna most likely have made headlines on the news by now fortunately for them, eye witnesses said that they only saw two NEXTs climbing the mountain summit then vanished from their sight. This made Katrina relax a little it hasn't been revealed yet that it was them that carried out that attack.

Soon, one of the ORCA NEXTs comes into view and Keith recognizes it, it's the red ALLIYAH NEXT that he fought in the Arena, Krasnaya. It had stabilizers on both the upper and lower part on the back of its core part and was armed only with twin long-range 051ANNR rifles.

It gestured with its head to the Demons of Hell to follow him which both pilots do without a word. Hari leads them toward the Ural Mountains in Russia and a hanger door opens to allow the incoming Armored Cores to land in. Up in a control room, a woman watches as Krasnaya brings in Black Dragon and Red Angel.

She turned around and said, "Sir, Hari's back and the Demons of Hell are with him."

The man smiled, "Good." The rest of the brigade arrives at the hanger just in time as Hari steps out of his machine and joins them on the floor. His fellow members are wearing casual clothing since they aren't doing any missions at the moment. They didn't have to wait long as they hear the hatch open up and the pilots step onto the shoulders of their Armored Cores. Keith and Katrina do a quick look at them.

Thermidor was obviously the leader. He looked to be around 27 years old, stood at 6'4, short auburn hair, blue eyes that were a little lighter than Keith's and a nice build.

The woman next to him was beautiful. She was 23 years old, stood at 5'9, brown hair that stopped in-between her shoulder blades, green eyes, and athletic body.

Another young man around 20 years of age stood to her right. He was around 6'7, shoulder-length black hair, gray eyes and a build similar to the brigade leader.

A third man about 34 years old stood by the black-haired one. He's 5'11 in height, medium-length red hair, amber eyes and athletic build.

Hari was about 23 years old, 6'3, had short brown hair, steel blue eyes and muscular build.

Keith and Katrina ride the lifting wire down to the floor and the ORCA leader starts walking forward as his new allies do as well. They stop at the middle and the auburn-haired man looks at them.

He said, "Can you two please take off your helmets? I'd like to see the faces of our new allies." The Demons of Hell follow his request and remove the cables with hissing air then lift their helmets over their heads. They hear the others gasp.

Keith introduced himself, "Greetings, my name is Keith Oswell, I'm rank 1 in Collared and pilot of Black Dragon and this is Katrina, rank 2 and pilot of Red Angel. Together, we are the Demons of Hell. You must be Maximilian Thermidor." He extends his hand.

Thermidor shook his hand, "You are correct. I am the leader of ORCA and these people behind me are Malzel, my second in command and my trusted friend, Julius Emery, Voah, Neo Nidus, and you have already met Hari." The said people either wave or gesture with their head in hello at them. Thermidor releases Keith's hand.

Julius said, "Thermidor has been speaking highly of you. Your piloting skills have caught his eye for some time now."

Katrina replied suspiciously, "You've been spying on us, haven't you?"

The brown-haired beauty chuckled, "Yes, we have been since 2005 when Keith became the new rank 1 Lynx. Actually, Hari has been doing the spying for us since he we sent him as an undercover agent. I guess you two just didn't notice it."

Keith wondered, "Okay, Thermidor, what is it that you want from us?"

The ORCA leader asked, "Have you heard of the Closed Plan?" The Demons of Hell shook their heads so Thermidor explained, "It was originally created by Rayleonard since they knew about the dangers of Kojima technology since ironically it's what gave birth to the company. Realizing this, they devised the Closed Plan and were about to execute it during the Lynx War but the corporation collapsed. The Closed Plan was to eliminate the Assault Cells that crowd the Earth's orbit by using huge land based anti-satellite batteries and clear mankind's path to Outer Space. We desire to carry out Rayleonard's wish but for the plan to succeed the batteries require energy so we intend to divert power from the Cradles to them, consequently this would cause the Cradles to come crashing down to earth. We're willing to accept that blood on our hands because sometimes sacrifices are necessary for reaching an achievement. However, if the Closed Plan succeeds then mankind will be able to advance into space and sins of the corporations will be purged. That's why we are asking you to assist us, with our combined might we will be able to make that wish come true. Unlike those vile corporations, we treat you with respect and don't intend on using you for personal gain. What do you say? Will you help us in making the Close Plan happen?"

Keith agreed, "We'll help you since we value life." Thermidor, along with the rest of the ORCA pilots, smile upon hearing that. Julius gives them a tour of the base.

Katrina said, "I never expected you guys to have a base deep inside the Ural Mountains."

Julius informed, "This was an excellent choice because this would be the last place the League would expect for us to reside in. Another advantage is that it's shielded from freezing cold temperatures and snow storms that Russia is notoriously known to have." Soon they come across the brigade's NEXTs all lined up neatly in a row. Keith and Katrina look from left to right.

The first one was Malzel's black NEXT, Opening. It was a two-legged composed entirely of GA parts except its HOGIRE core part. It's armed with twin GAN02-NSS-WR high-capacity rifles, YAMAGA grenade cannon, BIGSIOUX large missile launcher and NEMAHA-01 vertical launcher support missile shoulder unit. Its emblem was a pawn chess piece, symbolizing his strategic trait. Overall, this Armored Core packed some serious firepower.

The one next to Opening was Julius' machine dubbed Asterism. It was a two-legged lightweight colored white and pink comprised of an XHD-SOBRERO head, SOLUCH core, LAHIRE arms, and JUDITH legs. Its weaponry included an ER-O200 laser rifle, the lethal HLR71-VEGA high laser rifle, MP-O601JC PM missile launcher and an RC01-PHACT rail cannon.

Gledistia, piloted by Voah, was a white heavyweight tank type NEXT constructed by Malzel mostly of GA parts except for a KIRITUMI/H head and KIRITUMI/L legs both developed by Arisawa Heavy Industries and an Aldra SOLDNER-G8C core part. Twin GAN01-SS-GC Gatling cannons made up the back unit weapons, a GAN01-SS-WBP bazooka and GAN01-SS-WGP Gating gun were the arm unit weapons, FSS-53 shoulder units and a MUDAN right hanger unit.

Neo Nidus' NEXT Gachirin was a two-legged ARGYROS heavyweight model also colored white. Armed with a CANOPUS high-laser rifle, FLOURITE plasma, LATHALDOSE assault cannon that fires a concentrated blast of Kojima energy that can severely damage if not destroy an enemy NEXT and ADDICT PA charging shoulder units enables Gachirin to last for extended periods of time thanks to its heavy armor and high ammo. The only drawback was its slow speed.

The one in the middle was Maximilian Thermidor's NEXT, Unsung. It was a black and crimson red 03-AALIYAH reverse-legged model armed with an ER-O700 laser bazooka, 04-MARVE high-caliber assault rifle, PM-O901 quadruple vertical PM missile launcher and a lightweight TRESOR plasma cannon. The machine's emblem showed a man standing in a barren wasteland holding a flag in his hand.

Katrina whistled at the sight of the NEXTs, "Wow! Heavyweight and lightweight class Armored Cores, interesting configuration." She saw Keith staring at Unsung, "What is it, Keith?"

Keith said, "This machine's weapons layout is nearly identical to Stasis', Katrina."

At Collared, Canis sees Sherry hesitating in answering his question on where his childhood friends are.

Sherry took a deep breath and said, "This will be a severe shocker to you, Canis so I hope you're ready. Keith and Katrina were the ones who destroyed Arteria Ulna."

Canis' eyes widened in shock, "What? No way! Keith and Katrina would never do such a thing, you're lying!"

Sherry shook her head, "I'm not lying to you, Canis. I was returning from the mission of destroying the PA-N51 New Resource Plant nearby when I saw them commencing their attack."

Canis cried, "I don't believe you!"

Sherry sighed, "Then go ask them yourself, Canis no one's stopping you." She watches Canis turn around and retreat to his quarters to reflect on what she told him.

Once inside, Canis sits on his bed and runs a hand through his dirty blonde hair. Dozens of questions race through his mind. Why would the two people he's known since childhood do this? Why drove them to commit such an act?

At ORCA's base, the pilots finish eating dinner and do other activities. Julius does a systems check on all of the Armored Cores, Neo Nidus watches TV in his room, Malzel and Voah play cards, Thermidor thinks up on what Arteria facilities to attack next and Keith and Katrina work out.

Once they finish up, shower and change clothes Keith's mind goes to his brother figure, Canis. He feels Katrina wrap her arms around his neck from behind.

She asked, "What are you thinking about, love?"

Keith replied, "I have a strange feeling that someone has told Canis about our attack on Arteria Ulna. If he has then he'll most likely want answers."

Katrina added, "The League will probably twist the story into making him believe that we did it out of cold blood." July comes and Thermidor feels that it is now time. The pilots gather in the briefing room.

Thermidor explained, "We're initiating the Closed Plan. Our NEXT forces will launch simultaneous attacks against core Arteria facilities. Keith, your target is the critical Arteria facility, Carpals. You are to take down Noblesse Oblige who is defending the site. The facility is guarded by multiple units but neutralizing them before Noblesse arrives will make things a bit easier on you. We are the ORCA Brigade, the most dangerous reactionary force in existence and this is our grand entrance. Let's put on a show, ladies and gentlemen!" The group boarded their machines and take off one after another to attack their designated Arteria targets. Keith soon arrives at his target.

Serene informed, "Commence mission, seize control of Arteria Carpals. Eradicate the enemy units before Noblesse Oblige reaches the combat zone that should make things go more smoothly." Not wasting another minute, Keith proceeds to destroy the defense turrets and Normals protecting Carpals with ease. With those out of the way Black Dragon stands on the bridge leading to Carpals waiting for Noblesse Oblige to arrive.

After a short while, Serene alerted, "Enemy NEXT detected at high-speed! That's him. Obliterate Noblesse Oblige!"

Gerald said, "Sorry to crash the party. Little hit and run bandits like you don't know anything about honor. I actually envy your simple lives, void of responsibility." He then saw Black Dragon standing there with crossed arms, "What the hell?" He didn't react quickly enough and his machine gets clotheslined by Black Dragon.

Gerald Gendlin, who works for Rosenthal, is the successor to Leonhardt's Noblesse Oblige. Gerald pilots the same Noblesse Oblige that Leonhardt piloted during the Lynx War except Gerald's replaced the machine gun with an MR-R102 assault rifle and the EC-0307AB tri-laser cannons fire a reddish beam instead blue.

Gerald demanded, "Keith, what is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking Arteria Carpals? Answer me now!"

Keith replied, "I'm siding with ORCA as you can plainly see by Carpals' destruction, Gerald."

Gerald asked, "But why?"

The black-haired American teen said, "Defeat me in battle if you want answers."

Both NEXTs ignite their laser blades and Noblesse Oblige raises its EB-O305 then drives it downward but Black Dragon blocks it with the 07-Moonlight then thrusts Oblige back. They lock blades again like two bulls testing each other. Black Dragon sends its opponent through a power regulator with the WADOU grenade rifle. The structure crumbles to its foundation upon impact and like a shark tasting blood Black Dragon presses the attack by unleashing the WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher along with the NEMAHA-01 vertical launch support missiles at Noblesse Oblige. Gerald hears the missile warning and executes a hard left turn to avoid the swarm screaming towards him. The missiles leave craters in their wake and Noblesse Oblige fires both EC-0307s at Black Dragon but the beams just graze the machine's Primal Armor and not the NEXT itself. A fist connects to Noblesse Oblige's head, leaving a dent in the process. The white Armored Core readies the tri-lasers again only to have one of them being cut in half by Black Dragon's 07-Moonlight laser blade. Gerald jettisons the damaged back weapon off of his machine.

Keith offered, "You know, Gerald it doesn't have to end like this. Join ORCA and help us break the League's rule on Earth."

Gerald refused, "I am going to decline on that. If I betray the League then I will be executed for treason." Keith sighs he was expecting that kind of answer from Rosenthal's strongest Lynx. The WHEELING-01 multi-chain missile launcher is fired again inflicting more damage to Noblesse Oblige followed up by a blast from Black Dragon's Assault Armor that temporarily disables the Primal Armor on both Armored Cores and leaving them susceptible to greater damage, something that both pilots take advantage of. Noblesse Oblige spears Black Dragon to the ground and delivers nasty punches until the black machine throws Rosenthal's strongest NEXT off with authority. The 07-Moonlight and EB-O305 clash with seemingly equal strength but it's evident that Black Dragon is the stronger of the two as it slowly overpowers its challenger. Noblesse Oblige jumps back and shoots the MR-R102 but the assault rifle rounds get deflected by the 07-Moonlight. The HOGIRE Armored Core dodges a round from the WADOU grenade rifle that demolishes another power regulator.

'If I don't end this soon, Arteria Carpals will be nothing but a smoking ruin!' Gerald thought with urgency.

Black Dragon wraps its hand around Noblesse Oblige's throat and then choke slams the white Armored Core to the ground with a deafening thud. Switching to the OGOTO grenade cannon, Keith pulls the trigger. Avoiding that attack the HOGIRE machine throws a kick that gets blocked by Black Dragon's arm before a counter attack happens that knocks Noblesse Oblige off balance. When it takes to the air Black Dragon quickly follows and unleashes its Assault Armor, effectively taking out Noblesse Oblige and making it sink into the water.

Gerald stated, "I don't believe it. Noblesse Oblige, there's still work to be done." Black Dragon turns around to look at the smoking remains of Arteria Carpals.

Serene informed, "Confirmed. Noblesse Oblige has been destroyed, mission complete. The Close Plan is now underway. No regrets now. Remember, you chose this path!" With mission accomplished Black Dragon starts heading back to ORCA's base. All of the other NEXTs pilots including Katrina complete their mission and head back to base as well.

At the League's HQ, representatives of the group watch the news talking about the attack on the Arteria system.

The reported said, "_Today, without warning, multiple NEXTs of unknown origin unleashed a coordinated attack on key Arteria facilities. The majority of these attacks were successful the energy reserves upon which the Cradles rely on have been threatened. We're unsure on why the enemy is doing…_" The TV monitor goes static as the reporter is replaced with another person.

Thermidor said, "_Perhaps I can explain that. My name is Maximilian Thermidor I'm the leader of ORCA. We believe that what the League of Ruling Companies is doing is nothing more than deception; the Cradles system isn't a permanent measure against the pollution that poisons Earth's surface. You citizens of the world are being fooled! We humans must make our own decisions and build our own futures. The crimes committed by these companies are robbing humanity of its future eventually they will destroy the entire planet, the National Dismantlement War and the Lynx War as well, were waged to hide their crimes. ORCA now stands against them fighting now to purge those sins! It's too late for compromises, sacrifices must be made, the price we all must pay will be great, atonement shall not be easy, and the blame lies with all of us. Two fellow pilots have seen the errors of the League's ways and have joined our cause. You corporations will not stop us from freeing mankind itself of your chains of hypocrisy and to other NEXT pilots, we offer you a choice: Join us or stay out of our way! I have one more thing to say. League dogs, welcome to Earth!_" The monitor changes back to the news reporter asking what just happened.

One representative said, "So Keith and Katrina have decided to join ORCA, huh? Those fools have the nerve to challenge our rule over this planet that we worked so hard to establish. ORCA and the Demons of Hell must be stopped. Also tell all NEXT pilots loyal to us that we are offering an 800,000 Credit reward to the one who kills both Keith and Katrina. Forget about capturing them alive, they are to be killed on sight!"

Another representative interjected, "Sir, how about upping the reward to 2 million Credits? I'm sure no one could turn down that amount."

The first guy nodded, "Yeah that sounds good. Tell all loyal pilots that we are offering a 2 million Credit reward to whoever takes those traitorous bastards down!"

Inside his quarters, Canis lies in his bed staring at the ceiling when his computer receives an e-mail so the teen walks over and opens the e-mail up.

It said, "Canis, I'm sure you are wondering why the Arteria system is being attacked. Come meet us at an abandoned theater in Moscow, the capital of Russia and come alone. Keith Oswell." Wanting to know why his childhood friends are doing this Canis boards Savage Beast then sets course for Russia. After what seems like hours, Savage Beast arrives at the Russian capital and sets his Armored Core down in a nearby dark alley and loads a fresh clip into his M9A1 before heading into theatre.

The interior of the structure was in bad shape. The chairs were in shambles, drapes on the walls were torn and dusty and the wall paint was peeling off.

He sees Keith sitting on the stage while Katrina sits on a rock that's most likely a stage prop and Keith listens as Katrina sings "Fields of Hope." If she didn't become a NEXT pilot, Keith told her that she should've pursued a singing career with the beautiful voice she has. Canis feels a lump form in his throat from hearing the emotion Katrina used as she sings. Sensing a presence, Keith stands up and turns to Canis' direction, the dirty blonde-haired teen spots his little brother figure carrying his own M9A1 pistol in its holster.

Katrina greeted, "Hello, Canis."

Canis asked, "Why, Katrina?"

Katrina asked with an innocent smile, "Why what?"

Canis elaborated, "Is it true that you betrayed the people on Earth's surface?"

The blue-haired girl answered truthfully, "We didn't betray the people on the planet's surface. All we did was joining a group of Lynx who wanted to save life from an agonizingly slow death from Kojima pollution including people."

Canis exclaimed, "You're lying!" He pulled out his M9A1 and Keith whipped out his as Canis went on, "What game are you two playing, Katrina and Keith Oswell?"

Keith said, "Canis, we have never lied to you so why would we start now? Have you ever wondered why the League got to where it is today? It's because they used us NEXT pilots as pawns to establish control on the world. We have risked our lives for the League but what did they give us in return? Nothing! After the Cradles were built, the corporations abandoned the planet's surface along with us who have lived our whole lives on it. The Cradles are just like putting a band aid over a wound but the wound this whole planet carries is too big for any bandage to cover. Canis, to this very day life on Earth is slowly being choked to death as this war continues to rage on. Some NEXT pilots decided to take a stand against the League but the League ended up killing the traitors without remorse. They kill any who dare opposes them or deem those who are a threat to them. Line Ark was an example. They didn't like the Cradles or the League's ways so they chose to put up a fierce fight but Line Ark fell when their ace White Glint was defeated in battle when the League launched an all-out attack against them. Now those corporate fools see me and Katrina as a threat and they have tried to kill us. That's when we decided to take arms against them and the League's fate was sealed when Arteria Ulna was destroyed by us. ORCA won't stop until the sins of the corporations are purged."

Katrina smiled, "Don't you believe in what we're telling you?"

Canis cried, "Keith, Katrina…"

Katrina asked sternly, "What is it that you believe in? Where does your loyalty lie? Is it for the League's selfishness?"

Canis started, "Katrina…."

The blue-haired girl cut him off, "Because if that is so, then you'll find yourself fighting ORCA as your enemy and you'll be fighting us too." She stood and walked up to him, "So if we are to be your enemy then might as well shoot us, Canis, slave to the corporations!"

Canis struggled, "I…I'm just…" Keith hears a piece of wood snap and quickly pulls the trigger the next thing that's heard is a blood curling scream and a body hitting the floor. Canis looks behind him to see a League spy lying in a pool of his own blood in his hands was a directional microphone indicating that he was listening in on the conversation and when it ended, he planned on reporting this to his superiors. Well, Keith didn't want that to happen.

Keith said, "Katrina, we should go. Canis, please for the sake of the strong bond we share, don't side with the League or get in ORCA's way because if you do Katrina or I will stop you." Both lovers exit the theatre leaving Canis to think about what they said to him.

The next day an emergency mission comes through.

Thermidor said, "Demons of Hell, the League has discovered our anti-satellite batteries! Doubtless, they will most likely send their forces to try and destroy them I want you to co-ordinate with our people to defend the cannon. Unfortunately we are at the turning point in the Arteria offensive so therefore we cannot spare any additional forces. These anti-satellite batteries are the key players in the Closed Play if we lose them the future of humanity will be cast into doubt. I leave it to you. Don't let our sacrifices be for nothing!" The two board their NEXTs then proceed to protect the Ehrenberg anti-satellite batteries from enemy attack. By the time they get there, they see Gachirin already prepared for the battle and the Sun is setting in the background. Taking a moment, Keith and Katrina managed to look at the cannons.

The cannon itself was a huge rectangular tower protected by 4 high-intensity laser cannons that were placed on top of 4 smaller towers surrounding the central one.

Neo Nidus said, "Welcome, Keith and Katrina. I'll start the attack with my assault cannon just make sure not to get in my way, it won't end well." Soon, all three pilots see an Eclipse Arms Fort approaching.

Keith and his lover move forward to engage the enemy AF when they heard, "Ambient here, targets confirmed. Not a problem, commencing attack!" Recognizing the voice, Katrina instantly knows that it's Lilium Wolcott. She used to be rank 2 before Katrina defeated her and claimed it for herself. Once her machine closes in, Lilium deactivates Ambient's overed booster.

Ambient was a silver colored 063AN two-legged model designed by Bernard & Felix Foundation. It's equipped with a long-range laser rifle, 063ANAR assault rifle, ECM maker shoulder units and a radar unit. Katrina fought Lilium many times previously so she knows of Lilium's blitzkrieg fighting style.

Keith barked, "Katrina, I'll take care of the Eclipse, Ambient is all yours."

Katrina nodded, "Roger that." Black Dragon takes to the air and soon lands on top of the AF and starts attacking, the 07-Moonlight laser blade makes quick work and the Eclipse is soon engulfed in flames. Black Dragon gets off and targets Ambient but then had to dodge a swarm of missiles that come from an unknown source.

A second later Serene alerted, "Enemy NEXT closing in on your location, BFF Strix Quadruped!"

The pilot said, "Looks like you have noticed me. How perceptive of you. You Demons of Hell are blessed with an excellent operator."

Neo Nidus smirked, "Well, well, it's Wong Shoa-Long. That's just like him to prepare an ambush."

Strix Quadruped was a BFF four-legged machine designed mainly for sniper roles. Armed with a 061ANSR heavy sniper rifle, 051ANNR rifle, 061ANSC heavy sniper cannon, 061ANCM high-speed multi missile launcher and 061ANRM shoulder units Strix Quadruped was a dangerous opponent to the unprepared or inexperienced.

Black Dragon easily avoids a shot by the enemy's sniper cannon then retaliates with the WADOU grenade rifle, which Strix Quadruped avoids as well. The explosion creates a huge column of water that shoots vertically in the air to a height of about 500 feet before dissipating. Wong Shoa-Long aims the 061ANCM at Black Dragon only to have them being intercepted by Red Angel's 03-MOTORCORBA machine gun and once again avoiding enemy fire except this time it's from the HLC09-ACRUX high-laser cannon. The beam hits the hostile Armored Core's frame and takes out some of its AP. Ambient moves to the right to thwart a strike from Red Angel's EB-R500 laser blade then throws a kick that connects with the red Armored Core's head. The machine skids across the water's surface before Katrina gets it into the air.

Black Dragon's overed booster activates and spears Strix Quadruped into a hill as a dust cloud forms from the impact. Trapping its opponent, Black Dragon starts to throw punches at the four-legged machine. Strix Quadruped points the 051ANNR rifle at Black Dragon's chest intending on firing at point-blank range but the black giant smacks the weapon away before continuing the melee assault. Lilium comes to Shoa-Long's rescue by shooting her machine's long-range laser rifle in between them forcing Black Dragon to back off. The old pilot frees his unit from its imprisonment. Keith sees Gachirin firing the LETHALDOSE assault cannon and it's coming straight so Black Dragon moves out of the way. Ambient and Strix Quadruped do the same thing and the beam of Kojima energy passes by harmlessly. However, Shoa-Long isn't allowed a moment's rest as a missile warning tells him to move his ass if he didn't want his Armored Core get hit by a shower of missiles courtesy of Red Angel.

Lilium said, "Hold on, Master Wong!" She directs Ambient toward her comrade but Black Dragon comes out of nowhere and delivers a high knee that stops any rescue attempt being made by her. Moments later, Ambient is sent back by the OGOTO grenade cannon. Ambient attempts to do a swift hit and run strike but that proves to be a bad idea as it pulls back the moment after Black Dragon uses Assault Armor. The machine gestured with its thumb and index finger that Ambient was that close in getting annihilated by the attack. Black Dragon quick boosts to the right in evading the enemy's 063ANAR rifle then fires back with the WHEELING-01. Ambient avoids as many missiles as it can but some still manage to hit and barely dodges the 07-Moonlight. Black Dragon glares at the silver opponent with those red eyes.

Keith cried, "The League won't stop ORCA, Lilium. They won't!"

Lilium responded, "You will fall too, Demons of Hell. Someone will take you down!"

Keith fired back, "Whether we'll be judged to be sent to heaven or hell for our actions in this war is not for the League to decide." Katrina couldn't help but feel the urge to cry from what Keith said.

A missile warning brings Katrina back to reality and she takes evasive action to prevent her machine from getting struck by Strix Quadruped's missiles then unleashes the HLC09-ACRUX that scores a direct hit on the four-legged enemy's body. One weakness about heavily armored NEXTs is that although they can withstand ballistic weaponry better, they are susceptible to laser based weapons so that's why Katrina chose the high-laser cannon because it can inflict better damage on her enemies. A swarm of missiles from the WHEELING-01 and SM01-SCYLLA support shoulder units home in on the BFF Armored Core, Shoa-Long manages to avoid them but fails to do so from a diving kick. Red Angel launches another unrelenting assault with the 03-MOTORCOBRA machine gun showing the old pilot just how determined ORCA and the Demons of Hell are in preventing the Ehrenberg anti-satellite batteries' destruction. A blast from Red Angel's Assault Armor takes out the rest of Strix Quadruped's AP.

Wong Shoa-Long said, "This was the best I could do. Lilium finish this, don't disappoint me." Strix Quadruped retreats from the battlefield.

Lilium nodded, "Understood, Master Wong."

Keith said, "Guess again." Lilium gasps as Black Dragon appears in front of her and uses its Assault Armor that effectively brings Ambient's AP down to zero.

She said, "Ambient has been disabled, mission failed. Forgive me, my master Keith and Katrina has turned their backs on the League." Ambient explodes immediately afterward.

Serene stated, "Confirmed Ambient has been destroyed, mission complete."

Neo Nidus taunted, "You best high tail and run, Wong Shoa-Long. The battlefield is not a place for scheming old men!"

Katrina sighed in relief, "The anti-satellite are safe but we can't relax just yet, there's still more work left to be done."

When the group returned to base, Katrina said, "The League must be getting really desperate for them to launch an attack like that. Too bad it failed." That night the ORCA pilots retire to their quarters for a well earned sleep.

Keith looked himself in a dresser mirror and exhaled, "It won't be long now before this war finally comes to an end. So much blood has been spilt."

Katrina hugs him from behind and Keith turns around to return it. Her wonderful scent has a soothing effect on him relieving all of his tense muscles. He next feels his shirt become wet as Katrina starts crying all of a sudden.

She asked sadly, "Why must so many innocent souls perish in a war?"

Keith rubbed her back as he answered, "I don't have the answer to that, Katrina but what I do know is that without war most of the technologies that we have today wouldn't have been possible. It's a sad, twisted irony about war."

The following day Keith's next target is Answerer, a high tech Arms Fort developed by Interior Union and Omer Science Technology. The AF is bristled with the latest Kojima weaponry and was considered stronger than other Arms Forts he and Katrina had encountered. It'll be a deadly foe and the battle will be hard but if Keith is successful, ORCA will move right into the final phase of the Closed Plan. Malzel and Thermidor agree that only Keith can pull this off. This is the endgame so they're counting on him.

Keith soon arrives at an abandoned city and soon spots the behemoth.

Its shape made it resemble a pinecone and its armament was half and half with the top armed with ballistic missiles and the bottom with Kojima weapons.

Serene informed, "Commence mission, destroy the Arms Fort Answerer! They must be using huge amounts of energy to keep this thing afloat so hit it wherever you can to destroy the outer shell. It won't hold up too long, we can bring this thing back down to earth."

Black Dragon's main boosters light up and the Armored Core starts gaining altitude as Kojima missiles are launched followed by ballistic ones. Black Dragon avoids both with no trouble and demolishes the ballistic missile launchers without having to worry about their Kojima counterpart since they can't reach up here. With the ballistic missile launchers destroyed, Keith is about to target the support fins when his NEXT's sensors pick up a massive amount of Kojima energy emanating from the behemoth's core.

Serene exclaimed, "It's attacking with Assault Armor? Get out of there now!"

Keith got out of the blast radius and said in disgust, "Sick, twisted bastards! They have gone too far this time!" When the Assault Armor faded Black Dragon uses the 07-Moonlight to cut off the support fins, disrupting the distribution of weight. Only a few more are left.

His operator said, "Not much longer now. The Answerer is plummeting, watch out!" The last support fin is removed and the enemy AF fell to earth, "Confirmed, the Answerer has been destroyed. So, this is the beginning of the end. You think it'll be easy, Keith?"

Keith shook his head, "Nope." He uses Black Dragon's overed booster to depart the area and return home.

Malzel stated, "The old guard has acquiesced now we have to deal with the forces at Big Box and take control of Arteria Cranium then the first phase of the Closed Plan will be complete. The energy used to support the Cradles will be diverted to the anti-satellite batteries."

Neo Nidus asked, "So who does what?"

Malzel replied, "You and Thermidor will handle the Cranium, I'll head for Big Box."

His comrade wondered, "You? Can you handle that? Remember, Wynne D. Fanchon will most likely be leading their forces."

Malzel shrugged, "I might not come back but we all have to die someday."

Splendid with their hard work, Thermidor give Keith and Katrina the week off, as they won't initiate the final part of phase 1 until then. The two head for a beach and enjoy the view of the ocean. Keith wears swimming trunks and his lover has a cute bikini on. Katrina rests her head on Keith's shoulder and he welcomed it.

Katrina asked in a cute voice, "The ocean is beautiful isn't it, Keith?"

The black-haired teen nodded, "Yeah, it is. It's a shame that those ignorant corporations will never know how fragile its beauty is." They look at each other with love in their eyes. Katrina places her hand on top of Keith's and their faces start nearing until their lips meet in a kiss, they stay like that for a few minutes before having to break for air. After that they hug, the feeling of Katrina's breasts pressing against Keith's toned chest fill his mind with indecent thoughts but he blocks them. Later on, they go for a bite to eat in Cradle 04, knowing that this will be the last time that the system sees the light of day.

1 week later, D-Day comes for the Cradles! Thermidor ordered Keith and Katrina to remain on standby at the base as he and Nidus head for Arteria Cranium. It's not long before they see a mission to take the facility.

Thermidor said, "Lynx of Collared, Thermidor here. If you are listening to this message then Neo Nidus and I are already dead most likely at the Arteria Cranium. Malzel will not return alive from Big Box that leaves you two as the sole surviving members of ORCA. I ask you to do this in my stead. Take the Cranium! If you prevail the Cradles' last support will be gone and mankind will be forced to return to the surface then the anti-satellite batteries can use the energy from the Cradles to eliminate the Assault Cells and clear our path to space. The fate of this whole operation rests with you now. Do this for your fellow ORCA warriors and for all of humanity." Both pilots stand up and stare at each other.

Keith said, "Please, promise me that we'll make it through this mission together. I'll protect you with my life if necessary." They kiss before boarding their NEXTs little did they know that fate had other plans for them at Arteria Cranium.

The two eventually reach the heart inside the structure. They have chosen their answer, now it's time to see it through!

A voice said, "Our guests have arrived, Wynne D. right on schedule."

Wynne wondered, "You don't hesitate to kill for 'humanity,' do you?"

Keith cried, "Roy, Wynne D."

Fanchon ordered, "Then lay down your own lives like Thermidor before you."

Katrina answered, "That's not going to happen."

Keith asked, "So Katrina, who do you want?"

The blue-haired teen answered, "My Bliss is all mine you can have Reiterpallasch." Red Angel and My Bliss stare down each other. Armed with an HLR09-BECRUX high-laser rifle, GAN01-SS-WGP Gatling gun, DEARBORN-03 VTF missile launcher, VERMILLION-01 faster series missile launcher and SM01-SCYLLA support missiles combined with Roy's piloting experience made the two-legged heavy HILBERT model a very dangerous foe. The interior of the Arteria facility offered limited room for maneuverability so creativity will be the key player in this one.

My Bliss fires both its VERMILLION-01 and DEARBORN-03 missile launchers at the same time but Red Angel shoots them down with the machine gun then takes aim with the WHEELING-01 served with the SM01-SCYLLA shoulder unit. The projectiles hit their target however minor is inflicted on My Bliss' frame so Katrina switches to the HLC09-ACRUX but has to avoid a blast from the enemy's HLR09-BECRUX. Red Angel shoots its high-laser cannon at the target but My Bliss evades before locking onto Red Angel for another missile strike.

Black Dragon and Reiterpallasch fight with their laser blades. Reiterpallasch swings its LB-ELTANIN sideways in an attempt to slice Black Dragon but it gets blocked by the 07-Moonlight, electricity arches in all directions from the conjoined blades.

Wynne D. asked, "Tell me, Keith why did you and Katrina decide to join forces with ORCA?"

Keith replied, "The Assault Cells that crowd the planet's orbit act like a prison, trapping everyone on this dying world. That's why we have to assist Thermidor in making the Closed Plan happen. Once we take control of Arteria Cranium, phase 1 of the plan will be complete."

Fanchon stated, "Most people who have spent their lives breathing clean air wouldn't last a minute on the Earth's contaminated surface."

Keith corrected, "Half of mankind lives in the sky while the other half have lived on the poisoned surface since birth, Wynne. Do you have any idea of the hardships the people had to endure? Kojima contamination has become so bad that farmers have to grow their crops inside glass domes to shield them from the harmful particles. Not only that but also Kojima poisoning has been rising substantially in every animal including humans of all ages from infants to the elderly. The part that makes me sick to my stomach is that the League has no sympathy for our suffering. That's why we joined ORCA because maintaining the Cradles System is causing horrible pollution and it will eventually start poisoning the atmosphere. Once that happens then every living creature will be in trouble."

Wynne D. Fanchon stated, "We'll prevent that from happening."

The black-haired American teen fired back, "You'd have to kill us first if you want to stop the Closed Plan!" Reiterpallasch aims its RG03-KAPTEYN rail gun held in the right hand Black Dragon bends its upper body so the beam hit a wall. Not wasting a moment Black Dragon drives its fist into the tan colored NEXT's face and it crashes into a wall and frees itself in time before a shell from Black Dragon's grenade rifle hits leaving a crater in the wall. Reiterpallasch shoots the PC01-GEMMA back mounted pulse cannon however, Keith anticipated the attack and deflects the energy rounds with the 07-Moonlight then hits Reiterpallasch with the OGOTO grenade cannon reducing the machine's AP.

He said to his opponent, "Wynne, we have known each other since 2004 and I know that your machine, although fast and agile, is weak against ballistic weapons such as missiles."

The battle continues for an agonizing hour and Keith is momentarily fatigued after having to avoid the last of My Bliss' missiles. His body won't respond to his command this leaves him a sitting duck. He gasps as Reiterpallasch targets him with the HLC09-ACRUX, as the beam nears him time slows down through his eyes. The next thing he sees is a red blur.

Katrina exclaimed, "Keith!" Red Angel shields him by taking the blow, Keith watches with widened eyes as Red Angel slumps to the ground with its AP at zero. His eyes shake in horror before his body responds to him and the first thing he does is run to Katrina's side. Black Dragon kneels down and places its hand on top of Red Angel's. His face appeared on a monitor inside the cockpit.

He said, "Katrina! Katrina! Katrina, please answer me!"

Katrina opened her violet eyes to see him, "Keith, I'm glad you are safe. I made a promise to myself that I'd protect…you." She falls into unconsciousness and Keith spots a piece of shrapnel embedded deep in her abdomen and blood was pouring out. Katrina was slowly bleeding to death! His hands tighten on the control sticks, turning his gloved knuckles white as he feels rage rising to the surface.

Wynne said, "If you two remained loyal to the League then this wouldn't have happened." Black Dragon stands up and ignites the laser blade.

Keith seethed, "You bastards! I will…" Black Dragon turned around and flew towards them, "…kill YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Roy alerted, "Wynne D., look out!"

Reiterpallasch barely manages to raise the LB-ELTANIN in time to block the incoming attack, Black Dragon's eyes glow a bright red and the two pilots can literally feel monstrous killer intent being directed at them.

Keith roared, "I will never forgive you! NEVER! Nothing in this world will hold me back from killing you motherfuckers!" Jettisoning nearly all of its weapons except the 07-Moonlight, Black Dragon selects the one responsible for putting Red Angel out of action: Reiterpallasch.

Activating its overed booster, Black Dragon screams toward the tan Armored Core and swings the 07-Moonlight in a flurry of lighting quick strikes that rendered Reiterpallasch unable to defend itself. Pieces of armor fly off of Reiterpallasch's body then Black Dragon launches the machine into the air and executes a menacingly hard Spiral of Death, shattering the head upon impact.

My Bliss starts backing up as Black Dragon turns its gaze to it. Roy feels fear coursing through his veins when he looks into those murderous red eyes, it's like his deepest fear come to life. He isn't staring at a machine; he's looking at his own death.

'So this is why Keith and Katrina have been named the Demons of Hell.' He thought fearfully.

Black Dragon unleashes the same lightning quick strikes then finishes My Bliss with Assault Armor then returns to Red Angel's side.

Serene informed, "Confirmed. Both NEXTs have been destroyed, mission complete. So ends the first phase of the Closed Plan you are the sole remaining ORCA member."

Wynne D. said, "To treasure a life…is that something to laugh at? Everything is twisted: You, this world, all of it!"

Once Keith's rage finally subsides he exits the open hatch and climbs up Red Angel's body and to open its cockpit. After that's done he undoes the straps to Katrina's buckle and picks her up in his arms then returns to his Armored Core and leaves before Red Angel explodes.

ORCA took control of Cranium. Without the energy needed to support them the Cradles fell to earth, in the devastation and poisoned air of the planet's surface, infants cough feebly in the arms of their despairing mothers while the anti-satellite batteries continue their steady charge. Once their power is finally unleashed the web of Assault Cells over the planet will be destroyed, the sins of the corporations purged. Even while humanity is devastated, a new frontier will be opened to them: Outer Space. A new direction at last! It will be a time of growth, ambition and war!

Keith stands on Black Dragon's shoulder holding Katrina bridal style. She opens her eyes to see the Ehrenberg anti-satellite batteries commence firing.

Katrina said, "We did it. The first phase of the Closed Plan is finished." She looks at her lover.

Keith gazed at her, "I need to get you to a hospital."

She shook her head, "This wound is fatal I can't be saved this time around." She placed a hand on Keith's cheek, "It's becoming harder to see you, my love."

Keith cried, "No, Katrina, please don't leave me! I don't want to be alone again it was painful enough when I lost my parents! I can't go on without you!" By this time tears start falling down his face.

She smiled lovingly, "Keith, everybody has to die eventually. We are not immortal. Be strong, Keith." She wipes a tear away before her hand falls from his cheek and her eyes close never to open again.

Keith shook her, "Hey, wake up. Wake up, I said. You still have a life to live. Katrina." He took a deep breath and screamed into the air, "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

_"The wind entices me to lay down in the shade_  
_I cry, when I look at myself, I see someone I don't know_  
_Playing the guitar for those who've passed away_  
_A star falls for the grief of those will not come_

_They won't come, but they call out_  
_Orange flower petals_  
_shake gently_

_Far-away memories, held in my palm_  
_they leave a gentle wrinkle in my face_  
_I strike a cord of an eternal goodbye_  
_A child's heart, clings to a gentle hand_

_The burning feeling shaken off as the vessel continues_  
_I play the guitar for the sighs those who've passed away_  
_strumming the cords of my heart_

_uncolored by the white of sadness_  
_Orange flower petals shake gently in the shadow of summer_  
_I've lost those gentle wrinkles dyed red at the far-off sands that I crossed_  
_The rhythm of goodbye_

A week later, Keith visits Katrina's grave with her parents and Serene. He places the flowers he brought in the vase and lowers his head.

_Burned down memories seep into the earth_  
_where they will sprout out as beautiful things_  
_I wave off the carriage of dawn  
Right now, orange flower petals  
s__hake gently, somewhere…_

Keith said in a sad voice, "Katrina, why is it now that you're gone that I feel so empty inside?" He balls his fists before he screams into the air, holding his head then collapses to his knees punching the ground.

Serene frowned sadly, "Keith…"

The grieving teen cried, "First my parents die young, now Katrina!"

Selene walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Keith, Katrina would hate seeing you be sad."

Scott added, "Everything will be fine, Keith."

Keith smacked Selene's hand off and stood up to glare at them, "Katrina was lucky to grow up knowing that you would be there for her while I had to grow up without mom and dad being there to hold me whenever I felt sad or lonely! How in the hell is it going to be okay, you dumbass? How long will fate play with my emotions until it's satisfied? How much? I watched as many friends I had die throughout this war! What in the hell am I supposed to do now that the girl I loved is gone?" Tears run down his face again.

Scott knows that Keith didn't really mean to insult him he knows Keith loved his daughter deeply and her death had created a hole in his heart.

Canis arrives to pay his respects. When he received word that Katrina died, he was devastated. When he locks eyes with Keith, he can see pain and heartbreak in them.

_One day, I'll see a peaceful dawn_  
_Until I have it once more_  
_An unending shining light_  
_keeps these wheels turning."_

Canis placed his bouquet of flowers at the base of Katrina's tombstone before he hugged his brother, "Listen, Keith, I hold no resentment at you. I'm sure Katrina knew that you would throw caution to the wind if her life was in danger."

Keith replied, "I promised that I would protect her but I failed to do so. She's dead because of that."

The dirty blonde-haired teen said earnestly, "Look bro, Katrina accepted the risks involved with this job when she signed up for it. Every NEXT pilot knows that, you were no different." Canis releases his childhood friend to allow him to depart the cemetery with Serene Haze. The others notice the way Keith's posture is as he walked, it resembled that of a person with no one to guide him. They look on with sad, sympathetic faces.

Scott asked, "You think Keith will be able to get over this? He looks so depressed, it's like his heart had been ripped out."

Canis answered, "Whether he dies tomorrow or lives to old age is all up to Keith. I will help him recover from this emotional pain no matter how long it takes. I cared about Katrina as a sister so I know how deeply hurt Keith is." They aren't aware of the fact that Katrina's spirit is watching Keith too.

She uttered, "Though I may not be with you physically, I will always be with you in spirit."

A/N: Chapter 26 chapter done. This concludes Armored Core: Demons of Hell.

Vandread Raven takes place after this.

The song used at the end is Akatsuki no Kuruma, Wheel of Dawn is the English title. It's a song used in Gundam Seed. When I heard it the first time, I cried because there's meaning behind each lyric plus it brings every emotion you have to the surface like grief, love, sorrow, hope, etc.

It also reflects the horrors and scarring of war on all the poor, unfortunate souls who lost loved ones in it. Gundam Seed is one anime that shows how war leaves its scars on innocent people and soldiers fighting in it. I know there are other anime that show it but Gundam Seed is a top one.

Like Keith said, most of the technologies that we have today wouldn't be possible. It's a sad irony. I despise war for the death and destruction that follows in its wake.

When you think about it, Wheel of Dawn also reflects about what Keith has gone through because he's a victim of war too. He took lives yet at the same time lost those dear to him.

Read and review.

Vader 23A


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